Something Extra SS Guard Awaits Word If Johann Leprich gets his wish, he'll be deported to Germany. Leprich, 77, of Clinton Township served as an armed guard at Mauthausen, a Nazi Germany concentration camp during World War II. He has been under arrest since July when he was found hiding in a secret compartment beneath the base- ment staircase in his home. Leprich, born in Romania, immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1952 and was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1958. He had evaded capture since 1987, when his U.S. citizenship was-revoked by the U.S. District Court in Detroit. A federal judge found that Leprich had assisted in Nazi persecution while serving as an armed SS Death's Head guard at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Nazi- annexed Austria from late 1943 until at least April 1944. The government commenced deportation pro- ceedings against Leprich following an investiga- tion conducted by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit and the Justice Department's O f fice of Special Investigations (OSI). OSI Director Eli Rosenbaum said, at his agency's request, Assistant -Chief Immigration Judge Larry Dean modified his order to conform to Leprich's designation of Germany as his first-choice destination country, followed by Romania and Hungary. "The Board of Immigration Appeals has not yet decided our appeal of the judge's decision to Rosenbaum release Leprich on bond, and Leprich therefore remains in cus- tody," Rosenbaum said. There is no word on the deportation date or an appeal, he said. — Harry Kirsbaum Innovative Shabbat Service Congregation Beth Ahm members are getting ready for a change. Beginning Saturday, Dec. 13, Shabbat servic- es will be shorter in duration, will include an educational segment and utilize a new prayer book. The "Modern Conservative" service will be led by Ronn Nadis of Farmington Hills and Dr. Howard Lupovitch of Maine — a professor of Jewish history at Popky Colby University — who often conducts services when visiting family in West Bloomfield. 12/12 2003 14 "They will lead us in a spiritually uplifting, musical harmony, creating a meaningful Conservative service, blending English, Hebrew and song," said Tessa Goldberg, Beth Ahm's exec- utive director. Five-hundred copies of Siddur Hadash for all Sabbath and Festival Services were donated by members Irving and Barbara Nusbaum of Franklin to be used in the new service. Following the Dec. 13 service, the Nusbaums will be hon- ored by the congregation and Rabbi Charles Popky will dedicate the siddurim. The new service will begin in a trial mode, with modifications made based on congregational input. Changes to the service will include the elimina- tion of the repetition of the Amidah (silent prayer) during Shacharit (morning service) and the shortening ofpsukay dzimra (preliminary Shabbat and holiday prayers). The Torah will be read on a trienniel cycle, taking three years to complete rather than on a yearly cycle. On a Shabbat when a previously planned b'nai mitzvah service is held, the originally scheduled Toiah portion will be read, since the b'nai mitz- vah candidate will have already studied that por- tion. Instead of the previous start time of 8:45 a.m., Shabbat services will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run until approximately 11:30 a.m. Each week, prior to services, Rabbi Popky will lead a class discussing the weekly Torah portion. Beth Ahm's Strategic Planning Committee, together with the input of the rabbi and the Ritual Committee, developed the outline for the service and the choosing of the new siddur. "Rabbi Popky has given a series of lectures over the past three weeks about the prayer experience and the understanding and appreciating of the new siddur in order to enlighten and assist the congregation with this transition," Goldberg said. Related story: page 65 — Shelli Liebman Dorfman Award-Winning Trio Two years ago, the Chamber Music Society of Detroit began planning a new award, known as the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award, designed to give a boost to young but already established string trios. On Dec. 2, the award's selection panel announced its first winners: the Claremont Trio, comprised of pianist Donna Kwong, violinist Emily Bruskin and cellist Julia Bruskin. After winning the 2001 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the trio, formed at the Taos School of Music in 1999, made its New York debut at the 92nd Street Y. Detroit-area audiences last heard the group at the 2001 Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival. The trio award includes recital performances at 20 leading concert organizations throughout the United States, a CD recording by Arabesque Records and the use of a rare violin and cello from Machold Rare Violins for the award period. A different trio will be selected for the award every two years. "The award will benefit many people — accom- plished young musicians and multitudes of audi- ence members — all over the world," said Lois Beznos, president of the Chamber Music Society, which celebrates its 60th birthday this year. The basis of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award is a $2.1 million endow- ment, supported in part by the contribution of $30,000 by each of 20 participating chamber music presenters. Additional support has been contributed by Samuel and Jean Frankel of Bloomfield Hills and by the Matilda Wilson Fund. — Diana Lieberman Camper Becca Fishman of West Bloomfield and coun- selor Bryan Steckler of Montreal enjoy the Tamarack reunion. Summer Dreams It's not too early to think about summer camp 2004. On Nov. 28, about 400 campers and staff mem- bers from the Tamarack Camps' 2003 season enjoyed a reunion at the InLine Hockey Center at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. In between the skating and shmooz- ing, many of those at the reunion registered for the 2004 season. The event was the largest reunion in memory for Tamarack Camps, the Fresh Air Society pro- gram that runs Camp Maas in Ortonville, Camp Kennedy in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Agree Outpost Camp in Wawa, Ont., Canada, and sev- eral teen adventure trips. "We had a very successful summer last year — that's why we had such a successful reunion," said Jonah Geller, the Fresh Air Society's executive director. Next on the Fresh Air Society agenda is "Hooked on Nature," a series of outdoor educa- tion programs for Jewish day and supplementary schools beginning in January and running until Tu b'Shevat (Feb. 7). For more information about Tamarack Camps or any other Fresh Air Society program, call (248) 647-1100. — Diana Lieberman