Metro

Just A Beginning

Holocaust Center leader seeks higher state funding in the future.

Harry Kirsbaum

Staff Writer

hen GOV. Jennifer
Granholm signed
Michigan's 2005-2006
capitol outlay budget on Dec. 19,
it included $100,000 for the
Holocaust Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills.
It was the first time since the
Blanchard administration that
the HMC had received line-item
funding from the state's budget,
said Rabbi Charles Rosenzveig,
HMC executive director and
founder. "It's a good beginning!'
State funds will be used for
building improvements and the
library, he said.

W

Rep. David Law

Rabbi Rosenzveig appreciated
State Rep. David Law, R-Com-
• coerce Township, who doubled
the amount from $50,000 when
the bill came from the Senate to

Rabbi Rosenzveig

the House for consideration, but
the rabbi suggested a different
amount.
"I would think that the state
should contribute at least

$500,000 a year," said Rabbi
Rosenzveig. "We service more
school groups than any other
museum in the state. We are edu-
cating children in areas that mat-
ter most — behavior!'
The state appropriated
$300,000 to the Chaldean Cultur-
al Center in West Bloomfield.
Rabbi Rosenzveig also cited
the State of Illinois, which gave -$5
million to the Holocaust Memori-
al Foundation of Illinois for its
new museum, the Illinois Holo-
caust Museum and Education
Center in Skokie.
Rabbi Rosenzveig understands
that Michigan is in dire financial
straits. But "what the state
Legislature and the executive

have to realize is that this is an
educational institution of first
order. We are educating tens of
thousands of young men and
women in the state in areas that
matter most!'
Law agreed with him — that
the $100,000 was a good start.
"Hopefully, if the economy
turns here, Michigan starts to do
better, I hope it's not a problem
getting more for the center, and
I'm not going to stop — next
year, the year after and as long as
I'm in the Legislature," he said.
"The Holocaust Memorial
Museum is an important teaching
tool for students and adults alike
and a real source of pride for our
area!'

❑

Lighting Up The Night

A parade of menorahs brightens a traveling celebration of Chanukah.

Shell' Dorfman

Staff Writer

n the second night of Chanukah,
menorahs atop a procession of
cars and trucks illuminated the
streets of suburban Detroit in celebration.
"Each of the approximately 60 vehicles
was equipped with a roof-mounted elec-
tric menorah, lit by a lighter plug, and a
wonderful Happy Chanukah flag," said
parade chairman Rabbi Levi Gottlieb of

0

Yeshivas Lubavitch in Oak Park. The
menorahs were hand built by the students
of the yeshivah, who organized the event
as a project of Chabad Student Outreach.
The Dec. 26 parade was preceded by a
Chanukah celebration at the Jewish
Community Center in Oak Park, led by
Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov of the Shul-Chabad
Lubavitch in West Bloomfield, and includ-

ed the lighting of a 3-foot silver menorah.
The convoy — led by three Hummer
limousines — followed a route from Oak
Park through Southfield, Huntington
Woods ; Royal Oak, Birmingham,
Bloomfield Township and then into West
Bloomfield. They stopped at area Chabad
synagogues along the way, where members
hosted Chanukah parties.

❑

The parade gets under way.

Photos by Fred Levine

Itta Stock, 9, of Oak Park, Mushy Misholovin, 10, of West Bloomfield,

Mendel Shemtov, 11, of West Bloomfield lights

Sterna Gottlieb, Chanie Shepard, 14, and Minna

the Chanukah menorah.

Shepard, 11, all of Oak Park, enjoy a Chanukah snack

Nachama Kaplan, 7, and Chana Kaplan, 8, both of Oak Park, make

before the parade.

decorations for Chanukah at the pre-parade party.

January 5 " 2006

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