To Life!

Zoe Lis, 10, and
Audrey Elkus, 9,
both of Bloomfield
Hills, show off the
frog seder plates
they made.

Mosaic
seder plates

to become
heirlooms.

Keri -Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

ate last month, budding young
Jewish artists were creating works of
Judaica that would be in their fami-
lies for generations.
As part of a Shalom Street program, they
were working with local professional artists
Gail Kaplan and Dani Katsir to make color-
ful mosaic seder plates.
"This was awesome and fun:' said Audrey
Elkus, 9, of Bloomfield Hills, who was put-
ting the finishing touches on her seder plate
with its big green frog in the center.
Her friend, Zoe Lis, 10, of Bloomfield
Hills, chose a frog, too. "The frog is happy','
she said. "Passover is my favorite holiday
because of the jelly rings!'

The plates took two Sunday sessions
to complete. The group worked in Shalom
Street, the children's museum at the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield.
They learned to use glass-cutting tools and
to execute an intricate plan. Jewish stars
were the other dominant design.
Ian Kohler, 14, of West Bloomfield was
there with his mother, Barbara. She was
working on a plate, too.
"I'm doing one for his brother, so they'll
both have them',' Barbara Kohler said. "This
is something they'll have in their own fami-
lies!'
Valeri Sirlin of West Bloomfield had
worked with Kaplan before on projects

.

when their children were students together
at Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit.
Sirlin was there by herself, affixing bits of
colored glass to her seder plate.
"This is very therapeutic:' she said. "I
want to do it again."
Kaplan had worked with some of the par-
ticipants during synagogue or b'nai mitzvah
projects. They're attracted to the idea of
Making holiday items they'll use.
"A lot of these kids had done challah
boards; there are Judaic pieces for every
holiday:' Kaplan said. "Each is different
and they leave with a piece of art that's
elegant. If they make it themselves, they
become more invested in using it." 0

Above: Ian Kohler,
14, of West
Bloomfield works
on his mosaic.

Right: The group
works on their
seder plates. From
left, Karen Jirik
and her son,
Zachary, 10, of
West Bloomfield;
Roche! Lange,-21,
of Oak Park; Jesse
Adler, 9, Valeri
Sirlin andEderi
Adler, 13, all of
Farmington Hills.

it

.r.i.;ont...04

Linda Hayman of Bloomfield Hills helps her
granddaughter Sophie Sklar, 9, of West
Bloomfield finish the edge of her seder plate.

February 16 2006

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