Project:
irnai
Mitzvah
Seminar helps children learn
how to make a difference.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor
goody bags given out at par-
ies usually contain a plastic
toy, a framed photo or
enough candy to finance a
vacation to Aruba for your dentist.
But others, instead, may include a
slip of paper that could help lighten
the burden for a very sick child.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation's
Moments In Time gift cards initially
were created to be given to guests at
weddings. Each featured a note telling
the guest that in lieu of a party favor, a
donation was made in his honor to the
Make-A-Wish Foundation, which
grants wishes to Michigan children
battling life-threatening medical con-
ditions.
Now Make-A-Wish has expanded
the audience for the gift cards to
include other guests — like those at
b'nai mitzvah celebrations, according
to Make-A-Wish Community Events
Manager Andre Krisko.
The question was how to get the
word out about the gift cards.
Enter Joe Cornell Entertainment.
On Aug. 17, Joe Cornell
Enertainment hosted an Event and
Party Planning Trade Show at the
Doubletree Novi Hotel. More than 50
vendors attended the program, which
featured a Mitzvah Project Seminar.
The seminar was planned specifical-
ly to educate boys and girls about how
they can help out at the many volun-
teer and charitable organizations
throughout metro Detroit.
Included in the seminar were guest
speakers — children who have made
their b'nai mitzvah celebrations much
more than a big party — children like
Laura Davidson.
Laura, a student at Warner Middle
School in Farmington Hills, loves ani-
mals. So when it became time for her
bat mitzvah, Laura, a volunteer at
Animal Rescue, decided to incorporate
an animal theme at her party.
Booked R.. To Israel
Visit — without leaving your home.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor
The Great Israel Scavenger Hunt by Scott
Blumenthal. Copyright 2003, published
by Behrman House. Paperback. 96
pages. $ 9 .
You're afraid of flying.
You can't afford it.
You've got to stay at home so you can
see if the Lions really win more than one
game this season.
Whatever your excuse for not visiting
Israel now, there's no excuse for not buy-
ing The Great Israel Scavenger Hunt, a
virtual trip that's fun for everyone in the
family.
8/22
2003
82
Open the book and on the first page
is a photo of an El Al plane high in the
sky, and you're on board. Your meal:
fruit, a hamburger, corn, fries and a fun
question: "Which of the foods do you
like to eat?"
It's all uphill from there.
The scavenger hunt part of the trip
invites children to solve mysteries
(appropriate for boys and girls 10 and
younger), and once they have done so
they fill the book with stickers.
The real fun, though, is just reading
The Great Israel Scavenger Hunt. It is
filled with photos and descriptions of
Israel that really give a great introduc-
tion to the country. You'll learn about
falafel, artists in Safed, a typical day in
Laura Davidson, center, aided animal rescue.
Her celebration was called, "Laura
to the Rescue," and tables featured
pictures of animals available for adop-
tion.
For animal fans like Laura, Animal
Rescue was on hand Aug. 17 to speak
about their volunteer opportunities for
b'nai mitzvah-aged children. Other
representatives were from Yad Ezra
and JARC.
JARC's presentation included a dis-
cussion of ways not only to add to a
bar- or bat-mitzvah celebration by ask-
ing for donations in lieu of gifts, but
opportunities for children to really get
to work.
For example, b'nai-mitzvah might
teach computer skills at a JARC home
or play board games with residents or
help out at holiday parties.
"We are confident that the Mitzvah
Projects Seminar inspired kids to get
involved with things that are impor-
tant to them," said Steve Jasgur, co-
owner of Joe Cornell Etntertainment.
"Kids should know that their services
are needed, pre-bar mitzvah and
beyond." ❑
the life of an Israeli child, a water park
at Kibbutz Ein Gev (the pictures are the
best impetus for aliyah you'll see in a
long time).
Further, author Scott Blumenthal has
posed interesting questions along the
way that children and adults will have
fun contemplating, like, "Imagine that
you have a pen pal who lives in
Beersheva. List two questions you might
want to ask about the city. What two
things would you like to tell your pen
pal about your city?"
This book is educational, nice to look
at and interesting. Best of all, it's fun —
whether you've been to Israel 20 times
already or if this is your first "visit."
Author Ann Stampler based this book,
her first, on tales she heard from her
grandmother, a Polish Jewish immigrant
Something for Nothing by Ann Redisch
Stampler, with illustrations by
Jacqueline M. Cohen. Copyright
2003, published by Clarion Books.
Hardcover. 32 pages. $15.