M r't
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Bridge Building
Cultural differences celebrated at Ann Arbor gathering.
Ann Arbor
Pollack said.
The day would not have been
elebrating differences,
complete without some lessons
trying new things and
about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
expanding young minds
His famous "I Have A Dream"
— those important themes
speech played at one the interac-
brought more than 100 children,
tive stations throughout the day.
grades K-5, to the Jewish
"We tend to be in a vacuum in
Community Center of Washtenaw the JCC," Pollack said. "We have
County in Ann Arbor
all the Jewish agencies
on Jan. 16, Martin
at our campus but we
Luther King Jr. Day.
don't really have any
The children and
exposure to other cul-
dozens of adults took
tures, religions or any-
part in the 3rd annual
thing else. Because of
"Youth Diversity Day"
the dream Dr. King had,
— a day packed with
we're doing these
exercises and lessons
things."
about other races, cul-
The event was co-
tures and ways of life.
Robin S chwa rtz sponsored by the JCC
"We're all different;
Colu mnist
and Jewish Family
we come from different
Services of Washtenaw
places," said the JCC's youth
County. Additional sponsors
director Craig Pollack of Ann
included Jewish Federation of
Arbor, one of the organizers.
Washtenaw County, High Point
"Even though we're different,
School in Ann Arbor, the
there are more similarities than
Jewish Cultural Society, Ann
we think and we have a lot of
Arbor synagogues Temple
common goals."
Beth Emeth and Beth Israel
A number of new experiences
Congregation, Tamarack
helped drive that message home.
Camps, Hebrew Day School
The children learned about peo-
of Ann Arbor, Reconstruc-
ple living with disabilities. They
tionist Havurah, B'nai B'rith
tasted different ethnic foods.
Youth Organization and JCC
They built a bridge together as
Girl Scout Troops 474, 840
part of an exercise on teamwork.
and 1205.
They also enjoyed the rhyth-
Spotted in the crowd were:
mic sounds of hand drums and
Sara Beth Levine, Vicki
percussion instruments during a
Sitron, Tiana Johnson,
performance by the Mbongi &
Sylvia Krohn, Esther
Bichina Bia Congo, an African
Perlman, Steve Adler,
musical group headquartered in
Ramona Brand, Bette
Ann Arbor.
Hammond, Sol Saginaw,
"We had a gym full of parents,
Hailey Mandel and Jared
kids and staff all dancing and
Korotney, all of Ann
going crazy. It was wonderful,"
Arbor. 0
C
Titos Sampas explains the use of
African drums to the audience.
20
Above: Jonathan Liberzon
and Mary Krazan, both of
Ann Arbor, learn to drum
with a Mbongi Congo
troupe member.
Left: Esther Perlman,
right, and Mariana
Dickons, both of Ann
Arbor, share a story.
Below: Mbongi Congo
troupe leader Titos
Sampas and Patrick and
Michael Wolfe of Ann
Arbor