lit he Elk Shoals Uniiederhodist
Camp in
M
IS rural North- Carolinas Blue Ridge
Mountains became an interfaith camp for one
week in the summer of 2002 when it hosted 32
Je-wish, Christian'and Muslim 'boys ages 9 to
'13,-Many of whomhad never met members of
other
before. -
-
Filmmaker Rob"Fruchtman's documentary
_explains how the Rev. Pete Parrish came up
with the idea post-9-11, and enlisted Rabbi
Murray Ezring and Islamic Center director
Shafiq Mohammed to recruit participants,
many of whom arrived at camp with wariness
and preconceived notions.
wwvv.detroitmidtown.com .
POP/ROCK/JAZZ/FOLK
Northville's Marquis Theatre presents
If you think Harry Connick Jr. plays a
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, for chil-
pretty believable Jewish doctor on TV's
dren 3 and up, through Jan. 18. Call for
Will Grace (though its reported his
Show times. $8. (248) 349-8110.
tenure on the show is coming to an end),
. • Wild Swan Theatre presents the
maybe it's because the versatile
Russian folktale The Firebird Dec. 10-
singer/actor's late mother was Jewish. In
14, at Towsley Auditorium, Washtenaw
any case, Connick and his Big Band
• Community College, 4800 E. Huron
bring a show called Harry for the
•Dr., in Ann Arbor. $7-$9. Call for show
GAIL ZIMMERMAN
Holidays to the Motor City 8 p.m.
times. (734) 995-0530.
Arts & Entertainmeni
Monday, Dec. 8, at the Detroit Opera
Editor
House. $37-$77. (248) 645-6666.
Bela Fleck, considered one of the best
banjo players in the country, brings his group Bela
Bloomfield artist Karen Halpern is the artist of the
Fleck and the Flecktones, playing a mix of jazz,
month for December at the Birmingham
country and bluegrass, to Ann Arbor's Power Center
Community House. In her exhibit in the upstairs
8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. $25-$35. (734) 761-1451.
gallery, titled "From Midwest to Southwest," she
shows her paintings, including her interpretations of
the Midwest's countryside and historic buildings, as
well as her new focus on Southwest imagery. (248)
The Yale Whiffenpoofs, the oldest a cappella group
593-6956.
in the country, perform Sunday, Dec. 7, on NBC's
The Woods Gallery in Huntington Woods hosts
Weekend Today. This year's crop of singers includes
its second annual Chair-Edible Charity Auction 7-
Dan Freeman, a 2000 graduate of North Farmington
10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in the lower level of the
High School. The show airs 9-10 a.m. on WDIV-:
Huntington Woods Library. A variety of artist-creat-
Channel 4 in Detroit. Check your local listings.
ed chairs, benches, stools, garden pieces, as well as
Comedy Central airs Hebrew Hammer, a
paintings, sculptures and photographs on chair top-
"Jewxploitation" film in the vein of Shaft, 9 p.m.
ics, will be auctioned (in live and silent auctions) to
Monday, Dec. 8 (check local listings for additional
benefit three area food banks — Yad Ezra, Capuchin
shoWings). The comedy stars Adam Goldberg as a
Soup Kitchen and Gleaners. An exhibit of the works
handsome Orthodox stud who is called upon to save
continues through Dec. 20. A wine and cheese
Chanukah when a psychotic anti-Semite (Andy
reception and music is included in the $10 donation
Dick) launches a campaign to eradicate - theFestival _
at the door. (248) 543-9720.
of Lights. The film will be released theatrically Dec. -=
DIA Curator of Modern European Art MaryAnn
19; there is no date set yet for Detroit.
Wilkinson offers a talk on Minimalism to the Max,
the development of minimalism and its influence on
contemporary art through examples drawn from the
exhibition "On The Edge: Contemporary Art from
1.3uppetArt/Detroit Puppet Theatre presents-
the- airnlerChrysler Collection" as well as the DIA's
Chanukah.— Close the Window, adapted by
own collection, 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at the DIA.
Corrine Stavish from by the I.B. Singer story "The:
Freewith.rnuseum admission. (313) 833-7900.
First Schlemiel," 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. Filleci:With
warm Yiddish humor and old klezmer music,:tfig:
story is presented by two characters from Chelm,
WHATNOT
played by live actors, with table=top 'puppets and
_..Featnring. hundreds of Jewish books for all ages, as
small-scale scenery. For 8 years and older. $5-
well AS'OS;-:yideos, calendars and other Chanukah
$7/puppet workshop following performance: $8.
gifts, the seventh annual Temple Israel Book Fair
(313) 961-1777.
runs 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Midtown Detroit's University Cultural Center
Monday, -9 .- a.rn.-9 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
hosts the 31st annual Noel Night, 5-9:30 p.m.
Wednesday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7-11,
Saturday, Dec. 6, as the city celebrates the area's
at the temple in West Bloomfield.
diverse holiday traditions amidst the state's premier
Featured speaker, at 7:30 p.m.
arts and cultural institutions. There will be activities
Tuesday, Dec. 9, is the author of
for the whole family, including On a Clear Winter's
more than 40 books for adults
Night planetarium shows, 6 and 7 p.m. at Old Main
and children, Leslea Newman,
on the WSU campus; a show featuring more than 50
who will present Out of the Closet
Michigan artists–at Detroit Artists Market;
6. Nothing to VPar. Newman will
Chanukah and KWanzaa celebration with story-
read from her fiction and poetry
tellers, 5-8:30 p.m: at the Detroit Institute of Arts;
and address issues of being gay
the Kids Klez Band of Michigan, 7 p.m. at the
Author Leslea
and Jewish, followed by a book
Newman speaks signing. Free and open to the
Detroit Public Library; and much more. Shuttle
at Temple Israel public. (248) 661-5700.
buses run 5-9 p.m. For a complete schedule and
on Dec. 9.
more information, call (313) 577-5088 or go to
THE ART SCENE
THE SMALL SCREEN
The -documentaryTrust Me"fbllows an inte aith
camp experiment.
Some, feeling homesick, wanted to go home.
But through typical camp activities like hiking,,
fishing, arts and crafts, and campfires, plus dis-
cussions and observances, the boys became
friends and learned how alike they were
You are each taking a leap of faith," Rabbi
Ezring, who leads Temple Israel in Charlotte,
N.C., tells the campers in Trust Me. 'You may
be the start of a miracle of understanding that
can show the people who live around us that
we really are the same. We may pray a little dif-
ferently,,but we're all just human beings.
Maybe What we learn this week we can take
home with us and continue and help people
make the same kinds of friendships in the
future. If you do that the dream of thiS.camp
will come true."
The message of "Salaam, Shaloin, Peace"-
emblazoned on the camp T-shirts made an
impression. Many of the boys have remained in
touch, and the guest list at Adam Eisner's bar
mitzvah included many of his Christian and
Muslim campmates.
The Rev. Parrish, Rabbi Ezring and Director
Mohammed have established a nonprofit , foun-
dation to continue the interfaith camp.
— Gerri Millet; special writer
Trust Me premieres 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9,
on Showtime.
12/ 5
2003
78
FAMILY FuN
•
FYI: For Arts and Entertainment related events that you wish to have considered for Out & About, please send the item, with a detailed description of the event, times, dates, place, ticket prices and publishable phone number,
to: Gail Zimmerman, JN Out & About, The Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034; fax us at (248) 304-8885; or e-mail to gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com Notice must be received at
least three weeks before the scheduled event. Photos are appreciated but cannot be returned. All events and dates listed in the Out & About column are subject to change.