Something Extra

Wider Interfaith Bridges

The Ecumenical Institute for Jewish-Christian
Studies, founded 23 years ago to build stronger
bridges between Metro Detroit's Jewish and Christian
communities under the direction of the Rev. James
Lyons, has a new name: the Dove Institute.
"We felt that the needs of today call for a broader
focus than merely Christians and Jews," said David
Blewett, executive director. "That remains our primary
focus as it is our area of expertise and uniqueness. But
as we have worked to understand and appreciate the
differences between Christians and Jews, we need to
begin now to understand and respect differences
between ourselves and Muslims and others."

Michael Berke and Mort Plotnick head-
ed up the study group of Institute leaders
who chose the new name. The Southfield-
based organization's new mission state-
ment is: "The Dove Institute educates to
promote respect and understanding
among all neighbors."
"The dove has
b been the symbol of the
Institute since its very beginning and the
Dove Dinner is the major fund-raising
David Blewett
event," Blewett said.
The dove not only is a universal symbol
of peace and tranquility, but also has bibli-
cal significance, he said.
"The dove was not the only bird Noah released

from the Ark," Blewett said, "but it was
the only bird that brought back word that
the bad days were over — it was time to
rebuild society. We believe the bad days of
stereotyping, ignorance and bigotry need
to be ended and new understanding and
respect developed between diverse com-
munities."
Blewett explained that the dove mates
for life, "which is a powerful and beautiful
picture of God's faithfulness to covenant,
something that we, especially us
Christians, must never again forget."

— Robert A. Sklar, editor

New Year's Greeting

Time For Herself

Yad Ezra, Michigan's only
kosher food pantry, has
blended local art with a
campaign to help provide
food for people in need.
Greeting cards with art-
work created by winners of
the agency's annual Rosh
Hashanah art contest are
being sold in packets of eight. A
donation to the agency nets cards
with artwork by Wendy Kelman, 7,
of Southfield; Jacob Korman, 12, of
This year's winning entries in the
Southfield; Yehuda Pollack, 12, of
Yad Ezra art contest adorn
Oak Park and Betzalel Spolter, 5, of
Rosh Hashanah greeting cards.
Oak Park — all are Yeshivat Akiva
students in Southfield. Cards include
a Rosh Hashanah message and an
envelope that can be addressed and
mailed by the donor.
To order an eight-card packet, access the Web site: yadezra.org , or send a
minimum donation of $25 for each packet to Yad Ezra, 2850 W. Eleven
Mile, Berkley, MI 48072. For information, call Yad Ezra at (248) 548-3663.
— Shelli Liebman Dorfman, staff writer

After 10 years as a health reporter and news anchor at WDIV-TV (Channel 4)
in Detroit, and a previous 10 broadcasting in Boston, Baltimore, Flint, Traverse
City and Ann Arbor, former Jewish News intern Lila Orbach Lazarus has decid-
ed to take some time off. Lazarus also is a member of the JN
Community Advisory Board.
"I've been going at a fast pace for so long, it's just nice to take a
break," Lazarus said last week, after she announced she was leav-
ing WDIV. "I'm fortunate that I'm able to do this, but it also
takes some courage."
The bravery is needed because Lazarus has no idea what she
wants to do. "I'm scared and excited at the same time." She said.
Lila Lazarus "It's like being given a blank sheet — what do you fill it with?"
She hopes to use her language skills and, perhaps, travel. A
language major in college, she is fluent in German and Hebrew,
proficient in French and Spanish, "and I speak a little of a lot of others."
Lazarus laughs that she's also become "a motorcycle babe," with her own
Honda and a Harley-Davidson.
She's giving herself "at least six months" off before deciding what to do next and
is thankful that husband, Jeff, a financial planner, is supportive of her decision.
"After all," she says, "somebody has to make the money."

Taubman Aids DIA

Developer, philanthropist and longtime art collector A. Alfred
Taubman of Bloomfield Hills is among major donors who
have contributed $54 million to the Detroit Institute of Arts'
new capital campaign, "Great Art, New Start." The DIA is
midway through a renovation and expansion project designed
by architect Michael Graves. Highlights include significant
upgrades to the building infrastructure, an array of new visi-
tor amenities and 32,000 more square feet of gallery space.
"The Master Plan project addresses critical infrastructure
A. Alfred
and space issues and, at the same time, respects the signature
Taubman
architecture of the Cret building," said Taubman, founder of
the Taubman Co. and chair of the museum's Building
Committee. "In 2007, we will reopen a building that is as exceptional as the
collection it houses, a facility designed to provide a superior visitor experience.
We are making excellent progress toward completion, and I am proud to be
among those supporting this project."
While the project remains on schedule, the discovery of asbestos in the
museum's north and south wings nearly a year ago prompted an intensive
review of the project. Subsequent work added $40 million to the cost.
Other major donors include the late Josephine F. Ford of Grosse Pointe
Farms, and Richard A Manoogian, chairman and CEO of Masco Corp.,
Taylor.

— Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor

— Alan Hitsky, associate editor

Fantasy Fiction

A little fantasy football joke has turned into a book for Steve Kay
of West Bloomfield.
During a fantasy football meeting, when individuals "draft"
professional teams and compete against each other over a season
based on the accomplishments of the real players, Kay put a few
Steve Kay
jokes on the board.
Two years later, he turned the jokes into a 162-page paperback ,
assigning fictional stories to 35 famous professional football play-
ers. The book is called Fantasy Football — Where Do I Sign?
"No joke, it's really good bathroom reading," says Kay, 43.
He says teenagers especially seem to like it. He has appeared twice on WDFN
Radio's "Fantasy Football Geekly" show to discuss the book.
Kay says he has 11 chapters finished for a second version, based on the
National Football League's American and National conferences.
For information about the book, e-mail him at stevekay@jockbooks.com .

— Alan Hitsky, associate editor

PIERO 'cha Don't Know

The state which was the first to grant Jews voting rights had the largest
Jewish population of any state in 1800. Which was it?

Goldfein
--eulareD tlanos :Jamsuy}

—

9/22

2005

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