ax
So ething Extra
Help Save An Israeli Child
Lousy Scheduling
The American Friends of Magen David Adorn (ARMDI) is asking for funding to
help an Israeli child in need of a bone marrow transplant.
After Benjamin and Shlomit Uziel's 8-year-old son, Jonathan, died of a rare genet-
ic disease in 2003, their younger son, Itamar, now 4, was discovered to also carry the
defective gene that causes the same illness, adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).
Typically, within two years of ALD diagnosis, the child will suffer the loss of all
cognitive, mental and physical functions and deteriorate into a vegetative state lead-
ing to death.
Learning that Itamar's life may be saved through a bone marrow transplant from a
suitable and healthy donor — preferably a family member with compatible tissue
structure — the Uziels decided to have another child, who will be a tissue match for
a bone marrow transplant, to be conducted in accordance with Jewish law.
Shlomit Uziel is now undergoing PGD, extensive and expensive medical proce-
dures at Chicago's Reproductive Genetics Institute. So far, in vitro fertilization has
been attempted twice, unsuccessfully. The procedures are not covered by Israeli
-
National Insurance.
The Uziels have received funds from friends and family, and administrative costs
have been covered. They have received non-monetary donations, including housing
and transportation. But they are still in need of assistance with medical costs. A goal
of $200,000 would provide additional attempts at PGD.
Send donations to: Uziel Family Fund — ARMDI, do BANK LEUMI USA,
1849 Green Bay Road, Suite 440, Highland Park, IL 60035 or online at:
-wvvw.armdi.org , by entering "Uziel Family Fund" in the "optional comments" box.
For information, call ARMDI, (312) 494-1902, or Bank Leumi, (847) 266- 4830.
A West Bloomfield professional photographer who just opened a studio was so
upset the State of Michigan scheduled a free tax seminar for new business own-
ers on erev Yom Kippur that he complained to state officials on Aug. 25. The
state eventually rescheduled the seminar.
Fred Levine said was taken aback to learn the seminar at Oakland Community
College in Farmington Hills was scheduled to run until 4 p.m. on Oct. 12.
"This is the equivalent of holding a seminar on Christmas Eve. Even the
State of Michigan offices are closed on Christmas Eve," Levine wrote in elec-
tronic mail to the state. "I am sure this was an oversight, but to hold a seminar
on the holiest day in Judaism is unconscionable especially in the county with
the greatest Jewish population in the state."
Patricia M. Kelly, a senior analyst in the Department of Treasury's Customer
Services Bureau, apologized to Levine for the oversight, but first said the semi-
nar could not be rescheduled. She assured him the state would be more cau-
tious with future seminars.
Levine told the JN he felt the response was insensitive — "essentially take it
or leave it" - because there was sufficient time to change the date.
On Aug. 30, she e-mailed the JN "Given the sensitivity of the date and its
relationship to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, we are canceling this seminar.
Another seminar in Farmington Hills will be scheduled next spring. Again, we
extend our sincerest apologies."
Levine is looking forward to attending the spring seminar.
— Robert A. Sklar, editor
—Shelli Liebman Dorfman, staff writer
Walking For A Cure
Four-year-old Chloe Abrams of Oak
Park is looking for help Sept. 18.
According to a fund-raising letter from
her aunt, Lynda Warshawsky of South
Haven, Chloe was diagnosed 1 1 /2 years
ago with Type 1 diabetes. She went
home from the hospital "to a whole new
routine of strictly watching her diet and
needing 2-3 shots a day and 6-7 needles
pokes to test her blood.
"She has been such a trooper! ... Even
last summer, at 3 1/2, she was testing her
own blood! Now, she looks at the meter
and asks, 'Is it good?'
"Her mom and dad [Steve and Ivy
Abrams] try their best to give her a nor-
mal lifestyle. They must live on her
schedule and watch her blood levels and
food intake carefully. Sometimes her lev-
els are so erratic that they must wake her
every hour or two through the night to
Chloe Abrams
test her blood.
"Chloe goes nowhere without her 'diabetes kit' in tow. She is currently on
three types of insulin ... Even when she is sick she still must eat ...
"At birthday and other school -parties, she can't eat what the other kids eat.
She can't sleep over at a friend's and she can't sleep in in the morning (due to
time regimen of her insulin).
"So far, Chloe has had over 1,000 shots and 5,000 finger pokes."
Chloe's family, including brother Elliott, 11, is participating in the Sept. 18
Walk to Cure Diabetes at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren. The
Abrams are hoping that Chloe's Cure team will raise $2,500 for the Juvenile
Diabetes Foundation (JDRF).
Tax-deductible checks made out to JDRF can be sent to Chloe's Cure c/ o Ivy
Abrams, 25531 Colleen Street, Oak Park, MI 48237; or by credi t card at
www.jdrf. org (click on "Support a Walker," then Ivy Ab rams and Chloe's Cure).
For a related story, see Doer Profile, page 15
— Alan Hitsky, associate editor
.
Big Party In Flint
Sept. 23-25 is the Sesquicentennial Celebration weekend for the city of Flint.
The Jewish community has planned a number of events and is inviting all for-
mer residents.
At Friday night services at Temple Beth El on Sept. 23, the Flint Jewish
Federation and the Max Hart Fund are sponsoring guest speaker Dr. Frederic
Krome, managing editor of the American Jewish Archives. He will speak on the
350th anniversary of Jews in America. A reception follows.
At Saturday morning Shabbat services at Congregation Beth Israel, Nancy
Hanflik and Nora Faires, co-authors of a newly published book about the 100-
year history of Jews in Flint, will discuss their work. A Kiddush luncheon will
follow.
The opening concert of the Flint Symphony Orchestra at Whiting
AuditoriUm will begin at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Israeli violinist Vadim
Gluzman is sponsored by the Flint Jewiskfederation. Tickets are $40. To order,
call (810) 767-5922.
A bagel brunch 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at Congregation Beth Israel is
being hosted by The Ivriah. "Down Memory Lane" auction, sponsored by
Temple Beth El, will be held at the Sloan Museum at 7 p.m.
Additional events during the 150th anniversary weekend include an Andy
Warhol exhibit at the Flint Institute of Arts and an exhibit on Flint's history at
the Sloan Museum. For information, go to
cityofflint.com/150/ or flintjewishcommunity.org.
— Alan Hitsky, associate editor
PLEFET 'cha Don't Know
In Hebrew gematria, letters have numerical values. The word for "one"
(echad) has the numerical value of 13. Some say this influenced the found-
ing fathers of the American republic. How?
— Goldfein
pal!un aria qJlunop auo
olur saruoioD fr-u-r2uo j aria sioauuoo qUELU JO MO
auo uinun snqynid a 'lido's spopEu Jno :Jamsuy
9/ 8
2005
13