Something Ext - a

DOER 'ROF1

THE

SALE

Matthew Wechsler, far right,
poses with volunteers, workers
and babies before painting a '
room at the nursery in a poor
area of Tel Aviv.

EVENT

OF THE SEASON

WOMEN'S

EUROPEAN& AMERICAN

DESIGNER

CLOTHING COLLECTIONS

ACCESSORIES & SHOES

THE SALE

AT

TENDER

271 WEST MAPLE
DOWNTOWN} BIRMINGHAM
248.258.0212

SUNDAY 12-5
MONDAY—SATURDAY 10-6
THURSDAY EVENINGS 'TIL 9

1064800

12

January 19 . 2006

Matthew Wechsler

City: Beverly Hills
Kudos: Volunteer In Israel

I is a log way from the Jzzone
cheering section. SpaOan basket-
ball fan Matt Wechsler, 19, was
chosen by Michigan State University's
Hillel to take a Birthright Israel trip
last summer, He fell in love with the
country and, on his. return, signed up
•for Hillel's Student Leadership
Mission trip, Dec. 27-Jan. 5, during
winter break.
While the sophomore could choose
from four separate programs or
"tracks" including Jewish advocacy,
pluralism, business and technology,
Wechsler chose the Tzedek — social
justice — track to learn about, "the
problems Israelis are faced with that
no one wants to talk about," he said.
It included helping a little-known
nursery school in a bad area of south-
ern Tel Aviv.

"The nurseries are not supported by
the government. They are set up by
.parents' friends in a social under-
ground network in Israel."

Describe the babies in the
nursery school.

"We painted the walls, cleaned up
some things, played with the kids on
the last three days of the trip. Prior to
that, we traveled from Jerusalem to
Kibbutz Ein Gev on the Sea of Galilee.
We had guest speakers: economists,
environmentalists, talk about social
and labor issues that Israel has to deal
with."

• "The babies are Israeli citizens
because they were born in Israel, even
though their parents are foreigners.
"The kids are mostly under 3 years
old, and there's about 80 kids.
The women in the nursery work from
7 a.m. to 8 at night. Usually one lady in
the nursery has to work with between 7
and 15 kids on her own, and she really
doesn't have a choice; even if she's sick,
she still has to be there.

Who are the babies' par-
ents?

"They come from the Phillipines,
Ghana, Africa, different parts of
China. They're not Jewish, and that's
the problem. No one else wants to
support them. They have kids and the
kids are Israeli citizens.
The parents need to put the kids in
nurseries because they have to work.
The Israeli government gives out visas
to the employers, not the employees; if
the parents lose their jobs, they're
deported!'

What did you do at the
nursery?

Why did you pick the
Tzedek track?

"I've always grown up doing corn-

munity service, even when I was real-
ly young.
"That's a part of the Jewish religion, •
doing community service and giving
back to the community. As I grew up, I
realized the importance of what it
meant to myself, my family, the reli-
gion and the community I was help-
ing. I came across this trip and I
thought, 'Wow, what better chance to
do community service than in Israel!
"I've done volunteer work like the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's Fall Fix up. My purpose here
was to put out a helping hand and
help the State of Israel and to see this
other side of Israel that no one knows
about?'

When are you going back?

"I am not sure when I am going to
be heading back to Israel yet. I am
currently a part of the Birthright
Israel recruitment staff to get students
to sign up for the upcoming summer
Birthright trip through the Michigan
State Hillel. I will help organize activi-
ties and inform students on this once-
in-a-lifetirne trip so that every Jewish
student can experience what I did!' 0

- Harry Kirsbaum, staff writer

REPORT A DOER: Know a Doer -

someone of any age doing interest-
ing, meaningful things in their life out-
side of their job? Share suggestions

with Keri Guten Cohen, story
development editor, at

(248) 351-5144 or e-mail:

kcohen@thejewishnews.com