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Zachary Paul
displays the
hockey sticks
he's donating
and his MVP
trophy.

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Zachary Scores

A young athlete turns his avocation into a mitzvah project.

LEONARD POGER

Copy Editor

Z

achary Paul has a bundle of sports memo-
ries and highlights that may be worthy of
an adult. But he is only 13 and celebrated
his bar mitzvah Feb. 5 at Congregation B'nai
Moshe.
The youngster said the most memorable high-
light of his young sports "career" is scoring the
winning goal in an overtime in-line hockey game
in the national NHL Rules Tournament in Wixom
last year.
Zachary, son of Elissa and Dennis Paul of
Farmington Hills, plays for the Team Mission
Detroit '92 team — all the players were born in
1992. The team's home rink is High Velocity in
Canton Township.
Zachary is also the proud winner of the most
valuable player trophy in a roller-skating tourna-
ment.
But sports isn't just a personal hobby for
Zachary, a seventh grader at Hillel Day School of
Metropolitan Detroit. It's also related to his mitz-
vah project for his bar mitzvah.
In recent months, he has been collecting and
donating thousands of dollars worth of athletic
equipment for youngsters from underprivileged
families throughout Metro Detroit. Zachary's
father pointed out that a new pair of racing roller
skates costs $350.
Zachary said the project makes him "feel good"
and he intends to continue the activity after his
bar mitzvah.
Besides in-line hockey, Zachary is also active in
ice hockey, Hillel's junior varsity basketball team,
soccer and squash.

Jan. 21
Lisa (Fields) and Hershel Alexander
of Bethesda, Md., announce with
much love the birth of their beautiful
daughter, Sari Raizel (Shira Fraydel).
Sharing in their joy are proud grand-
parents Judith and Jerome Fields, for-
mer Detroiters of Allentown, Pa.;
Mary and Robert Alexander of
Eastham, Mass.; great-grandparents
Marion and Louis Klein of
Farmington Hills; Mary and William
Alexander of Edinboro, Pa., and
Charlotte and Kenneth Parkhurst of
Silver City, N.M. Sari Raizel is
named in loving memory of her
great-grandmother Sara Folkoff, her

2/10

2005

62

"He lives and breathes
sports," said his mother. "From
day one, we handed him a ball
and he wouldn't give it back."
Zachary completed an in-line
specialty camp last year and was
nominated to represent the U.S.
on a Junior Olympics team.
Mrs. Paul said the idea for
donating used equipment to
underprivileged children came
from Zachary's on-going con-
cern about injustices. "He plays
against others who have very lit-
tle," she said.
Often times, he would ask
parents of his teammates to
request donations of used ath-
letic equipment.
"There was a lot of stuff sit-
ting in our basement from our
three sons," Mrs. Paul said. The
family also asked neighbors for
equipment and then distributed
it to individuals.
"Helping other children to
learn sports gives him joy," Mrs.
Paul said of her son.
But Zachary has used his time
and energies in other ways for
mitzvah projects. Those includ-
ed visiting seniors at the
Fleischman Residence, donating
food to the Yad Ezra kosher food bank in Berkley,
and visiting JARC residents.
The sports angle was utilized when the family
hosted Zachary's bar mitzvah reception. The par-

great-great aunt Rose Green, her
great-great grandmother Sarika Klein
and her great-grandfather Frank
Loesch.

Jan. 19
Kate (Levin) and Dr. Howard
Markel of Ann Arbor are thrilled to
announce the birth of their daughter,
Samantha Louise. She was welcomed
home by big sister Bess Rachel, 4 1 /2 .
Also sharing in their happiness are
grandparents Bernice Markel of Novi
and Sen. Carl and Barbara Levin of
Detroit and Washington, D.C.
Samantha Louise was named in lov-
ing memory of her paternal grandfa-
ther Samuel Markel and paternal

ents bought 60 hockey sticks for table decorations.
After the party, the sticks will be given to low-
income families so other youngsters can enjoy
hockey. ❑

great-grandfather Louis Lumberg.
Jan. 10
Debbie and Jimmy Bragman of
Bloomfield Hills announce with love
the birth of their son, Jackson Paul
(Pesach). Sharing in the joy are first-
time grandparents
Sofia Chayt, Wolf
Chayt and Ethel
Bragman, all of
West Bloomfield.
Great-grandfather
Andrzej Lubieniecki
of Windsor is
thrilled with his
fourth great-grand-
child. Jackson Paul
is named in memory of his paternal

grandfather Paul Jack Bragman.
Jan. 7
Geri (Alumit) and Steven Zeldes of
Novi proudly announce the birth of
their son, Gabriel Stanley. His big
sister Jordyn Alexis gave Gabe hugs
and lots of kisses at the hospital.
Sharing in their joy are ecstatic
grandparents Beverly and Martin
Zeldes of Bloomfield Hills, Evelyn
and Hermogenes Alumit of Flint and
great-grandparents Sarah Zeldes of
Bloomfield Hills and Felicidad
Dacpano of Baguio City,
Philippines.

Dec. 27
Mike Koffron and Saraphoena