FROM MICHIGAN from page 61

that never left."
Almost 30 years later, Nancy Adler
found herself thinking about John
Mames as she listened to the news:
One suicide bombing followed anoth-
er and another and another, killing lit-
erally hundreds of Israelis.
She was determined to do something
— and to find a way to help children
become involved and feel connected,
just as she had felt thanks to the efforts
of John and Eva Mames.
That's how the bears got their start.
Adler joined with friends Sheri Stay
and Norma Dorman, both longtime
supporters of ARMDI, to create
Operation Bear-Blanket. To date, it has
collected more than 2,000 teddy bears
and blankets made by local children to
send to injured boys and girls in Israel.
Among those who participated in
the drive: Temple Israel (an instru-
mental supporter, with more programs
still planned) and Congregation
Shaarey Zedek (which helped origi-
nate Operation Bear-Blanker), B'nai..
B'rith Youth Organization,
Congregation Beth Ahm, Yeshivat
Akiva, Adat Shalom Synagogue,
Tamarack Camps and the Jewish
Community Center of Metropolitan
Detroit (which will host a community
program on March 23). .
The drive was such a success, in
fact, that word has gotten out nation-
wide. Groups already are organizing in
Pennsylvania, New York and
Connecticut to create their own bears
and blankets program. (While thanks
to Michigan's efforts Israel has enough
bears, other drives will donate their
bears to hospitals in their own area.)
Late last month, some of the first
bears from Detroit made their way to
Israel.
"The effect of the bears on the chil-
dren was better and stronger than any
medicine," the staff at the Schneider
Children's Hospital of Israel wrote.
"What a joy it is to see a child who
cries and the moment he gets the bear
he smiles from ear to ear! All in the
hospital blessed you and thanked you."
But as everyone knows, no one — or
no bear — can just make aliyah. A lot
of organizing and planning comes first.
A typical Operation Bear-Blanket
program would work like this:
Volunteers from each synagogue,
school or organization would arrive
early in the day to coordinate every-
thing (like threading needles — liter-
ally hundreds of which were prepared
in advance) and for training.

2/14
2003

62

Boys and girls would then see a
brief video, which featured the reha-
bilitation of a teen injured in a terror-
ist attack, about the world of the
American Red Magen David for
Israel. In some programs, the children
would meet for discussion groups.
Rabbi Scott Bolton of the Jewish
Academy of Metropolitan Detroit
worked with ARMDI to create a cur-
riculum guide for the educators.
The youngest children, meanwhile,
heard a story, telling of a child who
wanted to help injured boys and girls
in Israel, written by ARMDI support-
er Jodi Tobin.
Next, the children got to work
building and stuffing and sewing.
When the bear (or blanket) was com-
plete, it would be named. (each child
picked his or her bear's name).
"Before the final process of closing
up the bears, the children took a satin
heart, gave it a kiss, said a prayer or
made a wish and put it inside the
bear," Adler says. "They also were
encouraged to write a message and
attach it to the bear, so the children in
Israel will know the heartfelt wishes
from children in Michigan."
At the end of each program, the
children gathered to sing "Hatikvah,'
then delivered their creations to an
ARMDI ambulance waiting outside.
"The program far exceeded our
expectations," Adler says. In addition
to the fact that children in Israel will
now have a tangible expression of
friendship and affection from
American children, those who partici-
pated benefited, as well.
"Schools and organizations
expressed an enormous amount of
enthusiasm about participating in a
program in which the kids had hands-
on experience in performing two
mitzvot: tzedakah and bikur cholim
[visiting the sick].

❑

Editor's Note: The bears
and blankets program has
completed its bear drive,
but donations are still need-
ed. To donate to American
Red Magen David for
Israel, call (248) 353-0434.
In the corning months,
AppleTree will keep you
updated on Operation Bear-
Blanket with further photos
of bears as they arrive in
Israel.

.,A

•

Are You The
Next Einstein?

A Kosher Home
For Abused Kids

"It's not
that I'm so
smart,"
Albert
Einstein
insisted.
"It's just
that I stay
with prob-
lems
longer."
Now
children
(and
adults, if they dare) can learn to think
like Einstein thanks to a Web site hosted
by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
of which Einstein was a founder. At
viww.alberteinstein.org/ index6.html
children can learn all about the life of
Einstein and try their hand at puzzles
designed to show the way in which he
approached a problem. All that's
required for the puzzles is a basic
knowledge of math and, as Einstein
said, persistence.

Southern Florida is about to open a
Jewish children's village quite unlike
any you may know.
This facility, -designed to provide
care for Jewish children from trou-
bled homes, will be kosher.
Operated under the auspices of
Jewish Adoption and Foster Care
Options (JAFCO), the five-acre vil-
lage will be able to accommodate 50
children, according to a report in
the Sun-Sentinel of Broward County.
Vicki Katz, JAFCO director of
development, told the paper the
facility will be kosher because, "the
cultural and religious pieces of chil-
dren's identities are an important
part of who they are. For children
who come from child abuse, keeping
that part of themselves is important
to overcoming their problems.
JAFCO believes for all children this
is a part of them nobody has the
right to take away."

Do you have a favorite Jewish
Web site for children? If so, please
e-mail to AppleTree at:
paljoey@earthlink.net. If we like
your idea, we'll run it in the sec-
tion — and include your name to
hank you for directing us there.

Are You Puzzled?

Are you good at word searches,.mazes, secret codes? Then AppleTree's "Are
You Puzzled?" is perfect for you!
If you solve this week's challenge (open to adults and children of all ages),
send your solution with your name and city of residence to arrive NO LATER
THAN 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, to: I Found It! c/o AppleTree, the Jewish News,
29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034, or e-mail:
paljoey@earthlink.net
We'll print the names of everyone who solves the puzzle here in AppleTree
and sends in answers by deadline.

Puzzle intro:

What does everybody like to eat on Pesach (Passover)? Unscramble the tiles
and reveal the answer!

C H

L L S

Z A H

S 0 U

E N

I C K

M A T

p

B A

I N