I
To Life!
THE SCENE
Far left: Capt. Shirine
Bitton, Brig. Gen. Yehiel
Happenings
Gozal and
Lt. Yanir Gattnio
For college age through 30-some-
thing. Send information to
ahitsky@thejewishnews.com .
Left: Leah Colmer of
Farmington Hills and Tony
Fayne of
Birmingham
Left:Liz
Herskovitz of
Novi and
Adi Peleg of
HILLEL METRO DETROIT
Feb. 20 Monday, 7 p.m. HMD
Fitness L'Chaim at West Bloomfield
JCC. Kick boxing, yoga, power aero-
bics, cycling, jogging and more.
Every other Monday. Free. Contact
Dina Shkolnik, hillelpd@wayne.edu
or (313) 577-3459.
Keego Harbor
Young Zionists
Friends of Israeli soldiers form
local young adult chapter.
Robin Schwartz .
Special to the Jewish News
eral cities: Brig. Gen.Yehiel Gozal, National
Director of the FIDF in New York, also
attended.
"Sometimes, we don't know if Jews
around the world know what we're doing if
they know what's happen-
ing in Israel," said Capt.
Bitton. "It means so much
to see that people so far
n one side of the world, Israeli
soldiers were doing what they do
everyday —
risking their lives and
defending Israel. On the
other side, here in
Michigan, a. group of
young Jewish profes-
sionals joined forces in
Farmington Hills to
lend their support.
About 40 people
attended the inaugural
Above: Megan Docks of
gathering of the newly
Wixom and Michael Chosid of
formed young adult
West Bloomfield
chapter of the
Michigan Friends of
Right: Michelle Sushin of
the Israel. Defense
West Bloomfield and Cari
Forces. The parlor
Herskovitz of Ferndale
meeting and informa-
tion session was held at
the Orchard Ridge Office Park in
away care so much and want to help," she
Farmington Hills on Feb. 8.
said. "It makes us know we're not alone. It
. "I think it's important for soldiers in
makes us stronger."
Israel to know they have friends in
The FIDF is a national nonprofit organi-
Detroit, especially among the younger
zation with nine chapters and more than
generation:' said Stefenie Sasson of
70,000 supporters across America. The
BloOmfield Hills.
group provides social, educational and
Sasson, whose father is Israeli, is one of
recreational programs and facilities for
the organizers of young adult group.
Israeli soldiers. It also supports the fami-
Participants had the unique opportunity
lies of fallen soldiers.
to meet with two young Israeli- soldiers at
"The average soldier in Israel makes
the gathering.and hear their personal sto-
$100-$150 a month," said Benny
ries.
Spielmann of Huntington Woods. He grew
Lt. Yanir Gitlin° of Kiryat Bialik and . up in Israel and served 3 1/2 years in an
Capt. Shirine Bitton of Rehovot paid a spe- Israeli army combat unit.
cial visit during a trip across the United
"These soldiers, when they're done with
States to meet with Jewish leaders in sev-
the army — they don't have any savings.
0
20
February 16 a 2006
„IN
The army doesn't sponsor their schooling
or any of those kinds of programs. They're
on their own," Spielmann said.
The new young adult chapter is being
formed with the. goal of educating young
leaders and generating future support for
the IDE A few weeks ago, a similar chapter
was also formed in Los Angeles.
"We teach our soldiers that when they
risk their lives to protect the
• State of Israel, they're protecting
, the entire Jewish world:' said
Gen. Gozal.
"When they hear about sup-
port like this, it makes them
realize that we are the same
family — we are together."
Spotted at the parlor meeting
were: Tovah Feinberg of Detroit;
Lauren and Jonathan Sterling of
Royal Oak; Yossi Benjamin of
Farmington Hills; Tony Fayne -
and Jared Gell of Birmingham;
Marla Tapper of Bloomfield
Hills; and Emil Izrailov and Toby Ben-Ezra
of West Bloomfield. ❑
The next gathering of the Michigan
FIDF young adult chapter will be
Thursday, March 16 at Envy
Nighclub, 234 W. Larned in Detroit.
To join or for more information
contact:
Tamir Oppenheim, executive direc-
tor of the Michigan FIDF in
Farmington Hills at (248) 203-2060
or e-mail: -
tamir@israelsoldiers.org
EMU HILLELF Ypsilanti
Feb. -19 Sunday, 2 p.m. EMU Lake
House. Cost: $3. RSVP by Feb. 17:
Jenn Stotter, (734) 482-0456 or
Jenn@emuhillel.org .
Feb. 22 Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at
Porter. Local teachers discuss -
impact of race, ethnicity, religion
and culture on the classroom. Free
dinner. RSVP by Monday, Feb. 20:
Nate Bankirer, (734) 482-0456 or
nbankire@emich.edu.
MSU HILLEL, E. Lansing
Feb. 17 Friday, 6 p.m. Shabbat serv-
ice, 7 p.m. complimentary dinner.
Contact Marisa. Saltzman ,
marisa@msuhillel.org .
Feb. 17-19 Friday-Sunday. Ski trip
to Bluemountain. Contact Jarad,
jarad@msuhillel.org .
Feb. 21 Tuesday, 8 p.m. Halo 2 video
game tournament. Contact Marc or
Scott,
lachmans@msu.edu.
Feb. 22 Wednesday, 6 p.m. Pick-up
basketball at IM East. Contact
steve@msuhillel.org.
Feb. 23 Thursday, 9 p.m. TAG Bar
Crawl. Must be 21 or over. Meet at
Hillel. Contact Jodi,
bealsjod@msu.edu .
U - M HILLEL, Ann Arbor
Feb. 19 Sunday. Tzedek study break.
Free food.
Feb. 19 Sunday, 1 p.m. Orthodox
Minyan kickball at Central Campus
Recreation Building.
Feb. 22 Wednesday, 8 p.m. Coffee
Night discussion on Israel at
Espresso Royale, 322 S. State St. Free
coffee.
Feb. 26 Sunday. Graduates and
Young Professionals. Ski at Alpine
Valley.