Staff Notebook

to winning participants.
In the past, students would meet each other
after school and on weekends to learn about their
cultures and write the essay. This year, students
will be required to attend two events: a culture
sharing day 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Wednesday,
March 26, at Lawrence Technological University
in Southfield and a writing workshop 8:30 a.m.-
noon Monday, April 14, at a location to be deter-
mined.
Essays are due Thursday, May 1, and winners
will be announced in mid-May and honored at a
June dinner that funds the scholarships.
For a contest application, which must be
returned by Friday, March 21, call Trish Hubbell,
(313) 567-6225.

— Alan Hitsky

Israel Forever

F

Holocaust victim Anne Frank

JET Performs 'Diary

w

hen Jewish Ensemble Theatre first per-
formed The Diary of Anne Frank during
their 1995-1996 season, it got so many
calls from teachers around the city, 12 more per-
formances were added, says Mary Davis, educa-
tional outreach coordinator of JET.
More than 50,000 students have seen JET's per-
formance of Frank's story since then.
This year, JET, under the artistic direction of
Evelyn Orbach, presents one public performance
of The Diary of Anne Frank at 3 p.m., Sunday,
March 23, at the Jewish Community Center in
West Bloomfield.
"Kids are always very affected by this play,"
Davis says. "The company does a 'Talk Back' after
each performance to discuss the ideas and conse-
quences of prejudice and hate."
Because all public middle and high schools in
Michigan are mandated to include the study of
the Holocaust, many students are already familiar
with the story of Anne Frank, she adds.
"The play is still important today," Davis says.
"It serves as a way of raising students' awareness
of prejudicial comments made at home or at
school."
JET will also perform Anne Frank March 17-28
at the Scottish Rite Cathedral Theatre at Detroit's
Masonic Temple. Call JET for show times: (248)
788-2900.

— Sharon Zuckerman

The Ties That Bind

he American Arab and Jewish Friends
group has changed its scholarship-essay
contest rules for this spring.
AAJF is asking Chaldean, Musli'm and Jewish
high school studentsto participate in two semi-
nars and then jointly write an essay on "The Ties
That Bind." Last year, the organization gave out
15 college scholarships varying from $250-$1,500

T

3/14
2003

16

ormer Detroiters Richard and Phyllis
Heideman are founding chairs of the new
Israel Forever Foundation, which is plan-
ning a series of events to
honor Israel throughout the
world.
The first event will be
"Israel@55," a concert at the
MCI Center in Washington,
D.C., on May 19.
"Israel@55" will celebrate the
Jewish state's contributions to
mankind.
Heideman is the immediate
Richard Heideman
past president of B'nai B'rith
International and is senior
counsel to the Heideman Law
Group in Washington. The May 19 concert is co-
sponsored by the Israel embassy and the
Conference of Presidents of Major American
Jewish Organizations.

$540 for a large family.
For questions and information on how to make a
tax-deductible contribution, call (718) 327-6058,
e-mail: kerenyandy@juno.com or access the Keren
Yehoshua V'Yisroel Web site at:
wvvvvicerenyehoshuavyismel.com/keren/families/indoc.cfin
• NAVAH, the Israeli-based, Nonprofit
Association for Volunteering and Assisting the Hurt,
will send mishloach manot (foods given at Purim
time) to victims of terror.
The group, established to offer encouragement
and personal connection with recovering victims,
will deliver packages of kosher food items at Purim.
"We are running programs after Purim as well,
including one for Pesach," said Yehuda Poch, director
of public relations for NAVAH. The group distributes
"care" packages along with monetary gifts to victims.
To make a tax-deductible donation to NAVAH,
call (866) 448-2824 or e-mail at: main@navah.org.il
or access the Web site at: vvww.navah.org.il

— Shelli Liebman Dorfman

Protecting Israel' s Forests

ooking to protect Israel's future land
reserves from extensive urban development,
Jewish National Fund has joined forces with
the Nature and Natural Parks Protection
Authority, an environmental organization estab-
lished to oppose construction in forested areas,
beaches and other natural spaces.
"This strategic cooperation is a wonderful step
forward toward fulfilling both organizations' mis-
sions and toward protecting the actual land of
Israel," said Rabbi Michael M. Cohen of the
Arava Institute for Environmental Studies and the
Green Zionist Alliance. "Protecting Israel's
remaining open spaces is so critical — not only
for Israel today but for the country we are stew-
arding for our future generations."

— Shelli Liebman Dorfman

— Alan Hitsky

Helping Israel On Purim

w

ith economy and tourism at a low, holidays
are an especially difficult time for many
Israelis.
"The poor of Israel have had a particularly hard
time; jobs are scarce and basic necessities have gone
up astrowmically," says Rabbi Alon Tolwin, execu-
tive director of the Birmingham-based Aish
HaTorah, Metro Detroit and Windsor.
With the upcoming holiday of Purim, Rabbi Tolwin
reminds, "there is. a special mitzvah to help the poor."
• Keren Yehoshua V'Yisroel has arranged for
sponsorship of Israeli families to help prepare for
Purim and the upcoming Passover holiday.
The organization provides more than 1,000 fami-:
lies with food coupons to be redeemed at Israeli
supermarkets, which, in turn, offer shoppers a 10
percent discount on their purchases.
While any size contribution is appreciated, the
cost of sponsoring a family is based on the family's
size, with $180 covering the cost of sponsoring a
small family, $360 for a medium-sized family and

Cap & Gown
Recruits Seniors

The Jewish News will honor Michigan's bright-
est Jewish high school seniors in our "Cap &
Gown" supplement May 16. Deadline for
nominations is April 25.
Area high schools
have been asked to
distribute our nomi- (
()
nating form to all
Jewish seniors with a
3.60 or higher grade point
average (unweighted, on a
4.00 scale).
If you feel you qualify but
have not been contacted, check
with your high school counselor
or download from our Web site:
vvww.detroitjevvishnews.corn