/2 ail Ellenbogen loves the serenity of her backyard. The
U multi-level ranch was built in 1953 and, she believes, it
was designed by Cranbrook's renowned Ellie! Saarinen. By
the time she and husband Richard fell in love with the house,
50 years of previous ownership had taken its toll: Fortunately,
they knew to call Gittleman.
It was not kept up at all," said Gail. "It was a disaster, and
the more we got into it, the more we found out what a
disaster it was."
Gittleman got right to work. Out came old woodwork, ruined
by years of paint. A leaky roof meant walls were stripped to
the studs; bathrooms were ripped out, the electrical was
below code.
"We'd do one project. then take a break, then do another,"
said Gail.
Three and half years later, the house is nearly done and the
Ellenbogen's new best friends are the work crew from
Gittleman who remained consistent throughout every project
as they carefully restored the house to its former glory.
"We really got to know the workers. They became like friends," said Richard, also complimenting
owner Scott Gittleman as "a pleasure to work with honest...and forthright."
Today, the home gleams with cherrywood. the bathrooms are a joy, new windows allow fresh air to
circulate within, the roof's been reshingled and the wiring has all been replaced. Except for the
kitchen—which will be done in a few years, says Gail, the entire house is completely renewed.
"Gittleman rebuilt it but kept the origiorial integrity," said Gail, delighted with the results. "It's just great."
So next time your home improvement project means getting down to the studs and starting over. rely on
Gittleman to not only do the dirty work but produce a finished product that meets the highest standards.

JUST ASK GAIL AND RICHARD ELLENBOGEN.

Gr GITTLEMAN

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28580 ORCHARD LAKE RD., SUITE 102
FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334

248.538.5400

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Looking for a
GOOD INVESTMENT?

How about the JN?

8/11
2005

22

For about a dollar a week,
you can have the paper
delivered to your front door
call 248.354.6060

One Voice?

JCCouncil president calls special meeting
in the wake of public dissension.

HARRY KIRS BAUM
Staff Writer

W

endy Waggenheim, the
newly elected president of
the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit,
called a rare summer board meeting
on Aug. 4, prompted by the departure
of former Executive Director David
Gad-Had.
The last official board meeting was
held June 1, and the board was not
scheduled to meet until Sept. 7. But the
vacated executive director position, cou-
pled with Gad-Harf's last public appear-
ance in Dearborn, sparked the meeting.
"We had a very good meeting and a
great deal of open discussion by most
of the board members who attended,"
said Waggenheim. "We intend to work
together as a united and cohesive
group on behalf of the Jewish commu-
nity. That is our goal and we look for-
ward to doing that in the future."
Gad-Harf has since taken a job as
associate vice president and chief operat-
ing officer of the UJA Federation of
Northern New Jersey.
On June 10, he shared the podium
on the steps of the Islamic Center of
America in Dearborn, joining Imam
Hassan Qazwini in condemning
instances of alleged desecration of the
Koran by U.S. military personnel.
According to press reports, Qazwini
over the years has urged the U.S. to cur
its Israel support, cheered as Jew-hater
Louis Farrakhan spoke at his mosque
and branded Zionists and their "lobby"
as wielders of too much U.S. political
power. Qazwini also is supportive of
Hezbollah, which is on the U.S. list of
terrorist organizations.
A story about the Koran rally
appeared in the Detroit Free Press the
following day, surprising some
Council board members who were
unaware of Gad-Harf's involvement at
the rally.
According to board member Linda
Stulberg, he did so "without prior
board consultation or approval," she
wrote in a JNLetter to the Editor on
June 30.
"Where was due diligence to assure
our community that the agenda of the
Dearborn rally is one that merits our
support and is consistent with

Federation's pro-Israel mission?" she
continued. "Did Federation, which
funds Council, authorize Mr. Gad-
Harf to make this a priority issue for
our community?"
Council received $522,810 in
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit allocations this year. Over the
years, Federation's Functional Review
Committee has reviewed each of its
agencies, including Council this past
year.
"Federation is aware of the contro-
versy that has developed and has
always had a close relationship with
Council," said Peter Alter, Federation
president. "Nevertheless, we expect
that, as a result of the Functional
Review Committee's report, we will be
able to enjoy an even closer and more
cooperative relationship with Council
in the future to deal with these types
of issues."
In the weeks, that followed Gad-
Harf's Dearborn appearance, board -
members and other members of the
Jewish community voiced their opin-
ions on the matter — and on
Council's role as a voice of the Jewish
community — in the Jewish News.
Last week's special board meeting
"increased the board's awareness that
the Council must be more sensitive to
the views of the greater Jewish corn-
munity and, although a board mem-
ber's letter to the Jewish News initiated
the dialogue, there was discussion
regarding keeping board members'
criticisms within the Council," Ed
Kohl, a board member from West
Bloomfield, told the JN this week. "I
believe the meeting will bring about
changes in Council's procedures that
will benefit the Council and the com-
munity."
Allan Gale, Council associate direc-
tor, said the meeting was called to give
the members a "vehicle for discussion."
"If we had a board meeting a week
or two after David made his visit to
the mosque, you might not have seen
so many letters and other discussion in
the community," Gale said. "Most
comments made were not related to
the visit to the mosque; they were
related to people speaking out about
their service to the board, the board's
agenda, how the Council and execu-
tive director and officers work." ❑

