Young Leaders Teach F or a group of teenage students, the opportunity to become the teacher was too much to resist — even if the classes were held on Saturday nights. The Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit high schoolers volunteered to hold study sessions in _ halom Penholder Marble Hebrew Desk Cloc Hebrew Watch Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers) at six area syna- gogues during April and May. "On the weeks between Pesach and Shavuot, it is traditional to study Pirkei Avot," said Rabbi Aaron Bergman, JAMD director of Jewish Studies, who is overseeing the 9th- through 12th-grade participants. "We were approached Jeremy Baruch, 18, Danielle Borovoy, 17, and Alexa Lipman, 17, all of West Bloomfield, prepare with the idea of having to lead study sessions in Pirkei Avot. the kids lead the sessions by an Academy parent, unteered to lead the sessions at their Many synagogues hold learning ses- Dr. Mitch Parker, who works with the own congregations. Rabbi Bergman sions between Minchah (afternoon Conservative movement's Rabbinical then created a packet of teaching and service) and Maariv (evening service) Assembly. We are also involved with on Saturdays, so finding students for discussion materials for each group. such organizations as the [Orthodox] "We study a lot of Pirkei Avot at the classes was simple. "Many of them National Conference of Synagogue school," he said. "So these kids were were in shul already for the services Youth [in Southfield] and the [multi- and were expecting some type of well-prepared. Pirkei Avot is one of denominational] B'nai B'rith Youth the most popular Jewish texts — it is learning program anyway," Rabbi Organization [in West Bloomfield] part of the oral law itself, the basic Bergman said. and we were delighted for this oppor- There are two remaining sessions in ethical foundation of the Jewish peo- tunity." the program. JAMD students will lead ple It re-examines our commitment to Students who are members of the Pirkei Avot discussions at 8 p.m. Torah, the pleasantness of Torah." six area Conservative synagogues vol- Saturday, May 15, at Adat Shalom Synagogue and at 8:15 p.m. Saturday, May 22, at Congregation B'nai Moshe. The program is open to every- one. ❑ Shoah Victims Remembered «0 0 • * o e * # * * * * # • * • it • 2 EASY WAYS TO ORDER ONLINE4 WWW0Wilh,COM PHONE: 80047S-662i 1JEWISH.COM ALSO OFFERS: I. • Banner ads & newsletter sponsorships • Web site hosting & design services 5/14 2004 58 for OW/A ;14611,0140iff 2-4141:1-001 ONO tft a#41440e4r4n ,, Rabbi Menachem Z Greenfield, assistant principal of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in Southfield, celebrates the holiday of Lag B'Omer with 7th-grade students at the home of Rabbi Shlomie Newman of Oak Park. The United Jewish Social Club First & Second Generation Survivors will host yizkor services, dedicated to the memories of the 6 million Jews slaughtered in the Holocaust. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 16, at the Oak Park Jewish Community Center. Organizers are Rabbi Leo Goldman, Congregation Shaary Shomayini; Cantor Nasanel Carmen; Josh Berkowitz, Michigan Friends of the Israel Defense Forces; and Andy Morton, a survivor. Event chairs are Michael Weiss and Jenoe Roth.