etro
Below: Shelby Michaels, 4, of West Bloomfield wants to join
the action on the West Bloomfield JCC stage with the Scouts.
Voice Of Youth
Israeli Scout performers take area by storm.
KERI GUTEN COHEN
"If not for the Caravan, I would not
have the opportunity to come for
many, many years.
Ann Arbor
"I was hosted by Ronnie Simon
ach summer, the 2005 Tzofim
[executive director of Temple Beth
Friendship Caravan brings 100 Emeth], who was a friend of my par-
or so talented Israeli Scouts to
ents. She showed me the hospital
North America to celebrate Judaic her-
where I was born, our old house and
itage through song, dance and story-
the university stadium. My parents still
telling.
check the Internet to see
"This year's group is one of
how the team is doing.
the best we've ever had," said
"It was emotional, but I
Leslie Bash, director of the
felt so at home in Ann
Jewish Community Center of
Arbor," she said. "It was so
Washtenaw County, where the
comfortable. I loved it."
group performed on July 14
She says she also appreci-
before an audience of 250. The
ates the work Simon does at
Scouts then spent the next day
Beth Emeth, which shares
at Independence Lake, site of
space
with an Ann Arbor
Karin Lifshitz
the JCC camp. Their appear-
church.
ance was sponsored by the
"It conveys the spirit of
Bernard L. Maas Foundation.
Ann Arbor, its diversity,"
For one Scout, the performances rep- Karin said. "It shows they can work in
resented a homecoming. Karin Lifshitz
harmony."
of Haifa, 17, was born in Ann Arbor
Karin's parents are professors at the
and hadn't been back to her birthplace
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
since her family moved back to Israel
in Haifa. Her mother, Efrat, is a chem-
after her parents finished graduate
istry physics professor specializing in
school at the University of Michigan.
nanotechnology; her father, Yair, is an
"I was thrilled when I heard we
ergonomics professor.
would go to Ann Arbor," Karin said.
On July 13, the Scout "troupe" also
Story Development Editor
Right: Nadav
Schwartz of Tel Aviv
and Dana Elkis of
Haifa, both 17, per-
form at the West
Bloomfield JCC.
Performing at the West Bloomfield JCC are Israeli Scouts Ben Bachar of Maale
Adumim, Ophir Shani of Savion, Nadav Schwartz of Tel Aviv, Shani Cohen of
Rehovot and Amir Even of Ramat Hasharon; all are 17.
7/21
2005
24