Metro

ON

- HE COVER

FEDERATION'S

FANCY
MIRACLE&
MISSION

A

Mission participants

pose with children

after completing a

banner at the

Federation-

sponsored PACT

(Parents and

Children Together)

in Netanya.

srael leaves

Don Cohen

Special to the Jewish News

T

he 730 members of Federation's Family
Miracle Mission who returned from Israel
last week came back as one big family.
The Mission, the largest Israel family trip ever sent
by a Jewish federation, united people on the trip
with people of Israel.
"The trip was amazing because of the fact that
it combined generations, three and sometimes
even four, of the same family," said Hannan Lis of
Farmington Hills, who co-chaired the Mission
with his wife, Lisa, and Beverly and Arthur Liss
Suzan and Michael Curhan of West Bloomfield, Sherri Ketai of
and Drs. Lynda and Conrad Giles, all of Bloomfield Mission Co-Chairs Lisa and Hannan Lis of Farmington
Franklin and Mission Co-Chairs Drs. Lynda and Conrad Giles of
Hills. "It gave it a real significance to Jewish continu- Hills and Beverly Liss of Bloomfield Hills join singer
Bloomfield Hills living it up at the Mega Event in Raanana.
ity and our connections to Israel. It gave it a real
Einat Saruf onstage at the Mega Event in Raanana.
feeling that the Jews of Detroit, at all levels, are all
connected to Israel: its past, present and future."
meaningful Israel experience,' he said. "It was
community from start to finish."
The Mission was organized by the Jewish Federation of
extremely touching and beyond compare to be in Israel
Rabbi Nevins and his synagogue's incoming president,
Metropolitan Detroit, and co-sponsored by the Jewish News
with my family and father-in-law — as well as with three
David
Schostak of Birmingham, traveled with their fami-
and the Michigan Board of Rabbis. The Mission co-chairs
generations of congregants.
lies.
They
found it a great opportunity to strengthen con-
— rabbis and lay leaders from Temple Israel, Congregation
"To see grandparents, kids and grandkids discovering
nections
with
congregants.
Shaarey Zedek and Adat Shalom Synagogue as well as
Israel together was something I've never experienced
"It
was
great
listening to the children speak;' Rabbi
Federation staff — worked long and hard to make the trip
before."
Nevins said. "They'd heard about Israel all their lives, but
a success.
The first groups departed Detroit on Dec. 20-21 and
they really couldn't know what it was all about. Now they
Also on the trip were families from Temple Shir Shalom,
returned Jan. 1, while the second group joined the first in
realize that it is just a magnificent country, in many ways
led by Rabbi Dannel Schwartz; Congregations Beth Ahm
Jerusalem on Dec. 26 and arrived back Jan. 5.
even more beautiful than where they liVe. I think they've
and B'nai Moshe; Temple Beth El; and unaffiliated families.
"It helped that we did this trip with Federatigh," said
come back more receptive to their own history, Judaism
Rabbi Joseph Krakoff of Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Rabbi Daniel Nevins of Adat Shalom. "The Federation
and
the Torah."
said the Mission succeeded on many levels.
worked tirelessly for a year to make the trip a huge success.
"It was great to see 18 months of planning, brainstorm-
We got more members to go, and it made for a sense of
Mission on page 22
ing and troubleshooting become such an exciting and

January 12 2006

21