This Week

2 Up, 1 Down

Jewish incumbent and a long-
time Jewish councilwoman
won mayoral races in Oak
Park and Farmington Hills on
Tuesday, but Birmingham's Jewish
mayor lost his re-election bid for city
council.
In Oak Park, 12-year incumbent
Gerald Naftaly defeated write-in
candidate Charles Robinson Sr.,
2,311-655.
In Farmington Hills,
Councilwoman Vicki Barnett defeat-
ed businessman Roger Avie, 7,824-
2,638. Incumbent Mayor Nancy
Bates did not run for re-election.
In Birmingham, three out of four
city council incumbents, including
Mayor Seth Chafetz, were turned
out by the voters. One of three chal-
lengers who won, Julie Plotnik, is
Jewish.
The three newcomers had the
most votes in the race. Incumbent
Dianne McKeon had 2,200 votes to
win the fourth seat and Chafetz was
the next highest vote-getter, with
1,894 votes.

Something Extra

Rabbis. Cost of the mission is
$2,895 per person.
For an application or more infor-
mation, call Sally Krugel, mission
coordinator: (248) 203-1485 or e-
mail krugel@jfmd.org

—Robert A. Sklar

Case Closed

A

11 outstanding debts between
the Shul-Chabad Lubavitch
and its contractor, A. Z.
Shmina, have been settled, according
to Marty Burnstein, attorney for the
Livonia-based general contractor.
"The case is over; there are no more
payment issues," Burnstein said.
The Shul opened west of the Eugene
and Marcia Applebaum Jewish
Community Campus in West
Bloomfield in September 2002. By
July 2003, Shmina claimed that $1.6
million of the approximately $3.1 mil-
lion owed to the contractors was still
outstanding. The Lubavitch
Foundation, owners of the 17,000-
square-foot synagogue, disputed
$400,000 of the total, and said it was
holding up the remaining payment
— Alan Hitsky until the dispute was resolved.
Last summer, the two parties com-
promised at $1.4 million, which since
has been paid. All construction liens
filed by subcontractors also have been
withdrawn. .
ocal mission-goers to Israel
The West Bloomfield Township
next April will get to choose a
Building Department issued a certifi-
track of interest to experience
cate of occupancy for the building
for a day. The tracks are not con-
Oct. 14.
firmed and won't be until closer to
— Diana Lieberman
the mission. But examples might
include "Journey through Cultural
Tel-Aviv," "The Secrets of
Underground Jerusalem," "Dig for a
Day," "Before the Bar: Sovereignty,
Jewish Values and the Law," "Israel's
Health Care System" and "Torah for
a Day.".
The number of participants con-
firmed for Federation's Michigan
Miracle Mission 4 from April 18 to
28 is 585, with 81 first-timers. The
age range is 17-88. Kashrut will be
observed on all buses.
Elie Norris of West Bloomfield and
The Jewish Federation of
Charlene Green of Farmington Hills
Metropolitan Detroit is mission
pose with Kami Robinson of the Jewish
sponsor. The Jewish communities of
National Fund, Midwest Zone, to
Toledo, Ann Arbor and Windsor
announce the "Green Sunday Phone-a-
also are recruiting.
thon" to be held Nov. 16 to raise money
The next meeting for prospective
for a water reservoir in Israel. Norris
mission-goers is 7:30 p.m. Monday,
and Green are event co-chairs; Robinson,
Nov. 24, at the Max M. Fisher
the Midwest shaliach (emissary) from
Federation Building in Bloomfield
Israel, will be in the area for three years
Township.
to raise up to $5 million for the reser-
Mission cosponsors are the Detroit
voir.
itni Jewish News and Michigan Board of

Mission Tracks

L

11/7

2003

14

Shopping Kosher

w

hat's the best place to learn
about kosher foods?
According to Lubavitch
Women's Organization, it's the super-
market. So, the group has deemed 10
a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 9, as
Kosher Day at Hiller's Markets, 6433
Orchard Lake Road, West Maple and
Orchard Lake roads, in West
Bloomfield.
"The purpose is to promote con-
sumer awareness of kashrut," said
Miriam Amzalak, president of the Oak
Park-based women's group sponsoring
the program.
"We will have a model of a kosher
kitchen, depicting the separation of
milk and meat, as well as a volunteer
available to assist and answer ques-
tions," she said. .
The video God's Diet will run con-
tinuously throughout the day.
"We will have information on
kosher symbols and the importance of
kashrut, coloring books and lollipops
for kids and delicious, free, hot potato
kugel samples available," Amzalak
said. "We will also be having a raffle
for the super kosher cookbook Spice

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general and tell him your local post-
master is not giving equal representa-
tion to Chanukah," he said.
For information on the background
or future plans for the Chanukah
stamp, go to
www.hanukkahstampquest.corn
or e-mail Scheiman at:
hanukkah@optonline.net

— Shelli Liebman Dorfman

and Spirit."
Those interested in making their
home kosher or learning more about
keeping kosher can complete a form at
the event, or contact Amzalak, (248)
548-6771 or mamzalak@juno.com
— Shelli Liebman Dorfman

Stamp Of Season

y Nov. 1, local post offices will
begin annual sales of the self-
adhesive, multi-colored, can-
dle-, and-flame Chanukah stamp.
"If your local post office does not
have it by then, tell the postmaster to
order them immediately," said Ronald
J. Scheiman of the New York-based
The Quest for Annual Hanukkah
Stamps.
"If he tells you he can't get them; tell
him that is not so. And, at the s ftle
time, e-mail the Postmaster Geri'eral
at: pmgceo@email.usps.gov
Scheiman has an additional sugges-
tion. "If your local post office puts up
a Christmas display, tell the postmas-
ter you want a Chanukah menorah
displayed as well," he said.
The menorah is allowed pursuant to
the Postal Operations Manual, Section
124.55e and 124.57c, which
Scheiman was instrumental in estab-
lishing.
"And again, e-mail the postmaster

Sen. Jacobs gives proclamation to Joyce
Keller for 25 years of service to JARC.

Mamma. Mia, JARC!

ARC's 23rd annual fall fund-raiser
was a record-breaking success, said
Rena Friedberg, the non-profit
organization's director of development.
The. Nov. 2 event --- a trip to
Detroit's Fisher Theatre to see the
upbeat musical Mamma Mia! — raised a
whopping $1.2 million for the nonsec-
tarian organization that provides support
to people with developmental disabilities
and their families.
"It shows that we have a very generous
and loving community that knows the
importance of the services we provide,"
Friedberg said.
A group of "angels" financed the cost
MAMMA MIA! on page 16

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