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helping Jewish families gr

This Year In

Jerusalem

And All Israel

A new Partnership 2000 Program

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor

II

e had been to Israel many times, but
Robert Aronson had never seen any-
thing like this. After a recent trip,
Aronson, executive director of the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit,
returned to the United States with reports of chil-
dren literally going hungry.
Members of the Federation staff were left speech-
less. But not silent.
Soon after Aronson's report, Federation staff and
leadership organized a campaign that will build
upon Partnership 2000 — a campaign that will
further unite families from metro Detroit and the
Central Galilee by helping Israeli communities in
need.
"Some of our Partnership 2000 dollars go to
extended-day programs in Israel, which were creat-
ed to provide a place for kids to go and get a hot
lunch and have a place to stay while their parents

Haifa
Nazareth

Migdal Ha'

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TO CONNECT • WITHH ISRAEL
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Netanya

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helps metro Detroit and Israeli

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were working, "
Be'er Sheva
explained
Harlene
Appelrnan,
director of
Federation's
Alliance for Jewish
Education.
But because of
frequent terrorist
Mitzpe Ramon
attacks, which have
severely affected one
of the country's key
industries, tourism,
Israel's economy is facing
tremendous strain. These
days, the hot lunch chil-
dren receive through
Partnership 2000 may be the
only meal they have all day.
Federation staff and leadership
knew they would have to step up efforts.

Then they saw an opportunity to turn a fund-
raising campaign into a real human connection.
Their goal: create a program that would foster
empathy and make friendships.
"We wanted something kids here could under-
stand," Appelman said.
It's called School-to-School.
Through the School-to-School program, metro
Detroit children are writing letters, sending pictures
and otherwise getting to know children in Israel —
and asking their counterparts to write back. The
drive began on Purim and will continue through
Pesach.
Dr. Lynda Giles, co-chair of the
congregation/campaign effort, lauds "the personal
touch" of this drive.
"We're not asking the kids to just raise money,"
she stressed. "We're asking them to get to know
each other.
Each congregation that participates receives a
video of Israeli children from the Central Galilee
'speaking about themselves, information about inch-

"

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Two Of
A Kind

The following congregations and schools will par-
ticipate in the School-to-School program:
• Young Israel of Southfield and Shilo Elementary
in Hadera
• Congregation Beth Ahm in West Bloomfield and

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2003

92

Peer Am Elementary in Hadera
• Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Hills and Amishav
Elementary in Hadera
•-• Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy and Amishav
Elementary in Hadera
• Temple Shit Shalom in West Bloomfield and
Giora Yoselial in Migdal HaEmek
• Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield and Yigdal
Allon in Migdal HaEmek
• Birmingham Temple in Farmington Hills and
Aliza Begin in Migdal HaEmek
• Congregation B'nai Moshe in West Bloomfield
and Shalom Aleichem in Migdal HaEmek

• Young Israel of Oak Park and Sinai Elementary
in Netanya
• Congregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park and
Sinai Elementary in Netanya
• Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park and Sinai
Elementary in Netanya
• Temple Israel in West Bloomfield and Shazar in
Netanya
• Congregation Shaarey Zedek Southfield and
YOdfat Elementary in Nazareth Mit
• Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills and
Netufa Elementary in Nazareth Illk

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