This Week Something Extra Forward Fifty Lists Aronson, Steinhardt D etroit Jewry's top communal professional and the chairman of the parent company of the Detroit Jewish News are ranked among the Forward Fifty, the Forward newspaper's list of the most influential Jews over the past year. "All have consciously pursued Jewish activism as they understood it," wrote the New York-based newspaper in introducing its annual list. The list includes Robert Aronson, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, and Michael Steinhardt, chairman of Jewish % Renaissance Media, whose holdings include the Detroit Jewish News. The Forward speculates that Aronson Aronson is in line to become the new president of the United Jewish Communities, which represents North American federations. It notes his always-successful annual campaigns, "with a usually generous proportion designated to overseas needs, a favorite of Aronson." Aronson, who came to Detroit in • Steinhardt 1989, also is an adviser to Auburn Hills industrialist William Davidson and Steinhardt, a former Wall Street tycoon. Both are mega-philanthropists. Arsonon heads Steinhardt's new initiative to involve young people in communal service through fellowships and scholarships. The Forward lauded Steinhardt for "trying to bring a new home within Judaism for young tribesman and women who have strayed from the flock." It cited the new Steinhardt Center at the University of Pennsylvania for Hillel students. "He spent much of this year doubling his sup- port and involvement in already-established proj- ects that have been threatened during difficult financial times, including Birthright Israel," wrote the Forward. It added: "In this project, and all others, he has not just given money, he has provided a vision that has regularly brought together the Jewish community s most important leaders behind his ideas." ' cery packages and other services each month. Los Angeles-based MAZON has awarded $481,500 in grants to Michigan organizations since 1988. The nonprofit allocates donations from the Jewish community to fight hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds. Nationwide, hunger afflicts 35 million Americans, including 13 million children. In Michigan, 360,000 households don't have ade- quate access to nutritional or safe foods. The state ranks 22nd in the percentage of people living in food insecure households, according to MAZON. — Robert A. Sklar Technion Tops $1 Billion T he American Technion Society (ATS) has reached $1 billion in fund raising, with almost half of that amount generated dur- ing the past seven years, including $55.3 million raised by the East Central Region, which includes Michigan. The trend affirms that Israel is as important as ever to American Jews who support the 63-year- old New York-based organization, which has 20,000 supporters around the country. "When supporters visit Israel, whether it's their first or 50th time," said Dr. Joseph N. Epel, founding leader of the Detroit chapter, "they meet the Technion alumni who developed the Arrow antimissile that keeps Israel safe, the alumni who manage the country's leading high-tech companies that employ a fifth of its workers and the scien- tists behind the novel products and technologies being exported worldwide." The Stephen and Nancy Grand Water Research Institute is just one example of the Detroit chap- ter's contribution to Israel's infrastructure. The Grands are Detroiters. Because of a sharp drop in government funding due to the cost of fighting terror amid an eco- nomic crisis, the Technion, like all Israeli univer- sities, faces budget deficits. Epel noted that because the cost of educating students in science and technology is greater than those in liberal arts, the impact of less government support is greater on the Technion. — Robert A. Sklar Web Purchases Help Israel wo University of Michigan grads have started a Web site featuring products made in Israel and will donate 10 percent of their profits to Israeli charities. Howard Felson and Jonathan Koch have created Littlelsrael.com in New York City. Felson is a native of south Florida and graduated from U-M's business school in 1993. Koch, a New York native, is a 1996 U- M business grad. Their site sells a wide range of children's products, including clothing, and they ship from U.S. warehous- es to minimize shipping time and expense. "We felt that if people with an affinity for Israel were choosing between two products of equal value," said Koch, "they would choose the Israeli product every time." The Jewish News'affiliated Web site, jewish.com , also promotes Israeli products and is donating 10 percent of the profits from toys purchased for Chanukah to Israel's emergency medical service, Magen David Adorn. The jewish.com store has a "made in Israel" section that features Ahava beauty products, artwork, jewelry, Judaica, pro-Israel items and religious items from kip- pot to shofarot. T — Alan Hitsky Standing Room Only For JWV Dedication tall members at the Jewish Community Center in Oak Park were happily scrambling for more chairs as Jewish War Veterans and their families, about 250 people in all, kept streaming through the doors for the dedication of the JWV Memorial Home Association's conference room on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. "Standing room only," said Robert Feldman, local JWV commander. "All in all, we were just thrilled with the turnout." Speakers included U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D- Sterling Heights; Oak Park Mayor Gerald Naftaly, Oak Park District Judge Michelle Friedman Appel; and Stella Suberman, author of When It Was Our War: A S Soldier's Wife in the Home Front. — Hairy IGrsbaum — Robert A. Sklar 4E4 11/28 2003 14 Fighting Hunger In Michigan Haggadot, Megillot For Vision Impaired A L n interfaith collaborative serving the Grand Rapids area has received a $10,000 grant from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger to help hungry and needy people. ACCESS of West Michigan works to meet needs of low-income families living in Kent County. Its network of food pantries and social service agencies provides 3,000 families with gro- arge-print Passover haggadot and Megillot Esther for Purim are available free from Jewish Heritage for the Blind. The organization will provide one copy per request. Call (800) 995-1888 or fax your request to (877) 230-2205. JHB also has Braille hag- gadot. — Alan Hitsky Appeh Naftali Levin and Feldman recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Photo by Bob Benyas