T

AROUND TOWN

Primed For

Passover

Inspiration is goal
of women's seder.

Penina Rubin, 13, and

Ellen Katler, both of
West Bloomfield

Audrey Zupmore of
Commerce Township,

Arielle Zupmore, 14,

and Sara Zupmore,
17, both of West
Bloomfield

Pearlena Bodzin
and Gina Horwitz,

Women's Seder
Committee

co-chairs

Beth Raz of Oak Park

and Lilly Jacobson of
West Bloomfield

Karen Alpiner of
Franklin, Jacqueline
Goldstein of West

Bloomfield and Audrey

Goldstein, 9, of West
Bloomfield

40

April 6 • 2006

IN

N

umbers
had special
significance
on March 28 as more
than 200 women
gathered for the
Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's
ninth annual Women's
Seder. Two, three and
even four generations
of local Jewish women
sat together around tables at
Congregation B'nai Moshe in
West Bloomfield to share a tradi-
tional Passover meal in advance
of the holiday.
"We feel it's really a treat:' said
Pearlena Bodzin of Southfield.
She co-chaired the event
with Gina Horwitz of West
Bloomfield.
"Many women are thinking
about.the cooking and the clean-
ing and getting everything ready:'
Bodzin explained. "They don't
always have time to really enjoy
the seder and its meaning."
This year's theme was "By
the Numbers: Making Passover
Count." In addition to the tradi-
tional seder blessings and rituals,
the women sang songs, reflected
on some modern-day concerns
and heard videotaped messages
from women in Federation's
Partnership 2000 Region in
Israel's Central Galilee.
Rebecca Starr of Troy, asso-
ciate director of Federation's
Alliance for Jewish Education,
led the seder. Lisa Soble
Siegmann of Oak Park, associ-
ate director of Federation's Jewish
Experiences for Families (JEFF),
sang, played the guitar and pro-
vided musical direction.
"I think the biggest thing is
that we're a community together
as women, and we get to cel-

ebrate this great season
together:' said Starr.
"I always try to inspire
people added Soble
Siegmann. "I want them
to take the music and the
love of the holiday back
to their seders and try
something new."

Jill Menuck of

Birmingham and
Cheryl Margolis of

West Bloomfield

Heidi Hirsch of
Birmingham

Victoria Greenstein,

14, of West Bloomfield
had the important role
of reciting the four questions. "I
feel this is a really meaningful
experience, and it's a great way to
develop a stronger relationship
with my mother and grandmoth-
er," Greenstein said.
Her mom, Annette
Greenstein, and grandmother
Adina Tzeel, both of West
Bloomfield, looked on with pride.
"I had a great time," concluded
Sue Stettner of Huntington
Woods. "I'm celebrating with
my friends and family — and
it was a very thought provoking
evening."
Also spotted in the Women's
Seder crowd were: Associate
co-chairs Joyce Sherman of
Southfield, Valeri Sirlin of
West Bloomfield and Trudy
Weiss of Farmington Hills;

Abbe Sherbin of West Bloomfield and
Leah Throsh, both of West Bloomfield

Debbie Balkin, Leslie
Bash, Arna Goldstein
and Gayla Bassham,

all of West Bloomfield;

Abi Schildcrout of

Huntington Woods;

Debbie Levin and
-Beverly Katz, both of
Southfield; and Yvette
Rivas Diamond and
Leslee Magidson, both of

Bloomfield Hills.
Each seder participant made
a minimum pledge of $18 to
Federation's Annual Campaign. ❑

Adi Tzeel and Victoria Greenstein,
14, both of West Bloomfield