AROUND TOWN
He Wows 'Em!
An NBC News correspondent talks news
with a dash of charm at an ADL event.
Betsy Kellman of Huntington Woods, speaker Dan Abrams and Judi Schram of West Bloomfield
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAY-1.N
community activism.
reaking news didn't stop
"I've heard several women go up to
NBC's chief legal cor-
him and say, 'I have a daughter who
respondent Dan Abrams
lives in New York,"' Kellman added.
from addressing a group of local Anti-
Abrams, a lawyer and former Court-
Defamation League supporters in
TV
reporter, has covered some of the
Birmingham — it just threw off his
biggest court cases in the country,
schedule.
including the O.J. Simpson trial.
Less than an hour before
In addition to his role at NBC,
Abrams was supposed to
he answers legal questions in a
meet and greet some of the
monthly column for Men's Health
ADL Michigan Region's
magazine. During his talk,
biggest donors April 10 at
Abrams, whose mother is Israeli,
the Community House in
weighed in on the new Hamas-
Birmingham, he learned about
led Palestinian government.
important developments in
ROB IN
"I believe the election of
a high-profile rape case he'd
SCHWA RTZ
Hamas will actually be a good
been following. DNA tests
COLUM NIST
thing for Israel from an interna-
failed to connect any mem-
tional PR point of view," Abrams
ber of the Duke University
said. "Israel has long suffered in the
lacrosse team to the alleged rape of an
world of public opinion, and I think the
exotic dancer, so Abrams sprang into
election of Hamas will change that."
action a long way from his New York
Abrams also spoke about the war in
City studio.
Iraq, President Bush declassifying Iraq
"My [MSNBC cable-TV] show
intelligence documents and other hot
is on at 4 p.m. and then it repeats
news topics. Then, he took questions
at 6 o'clock," Abrams said. "I had to
from the crowd.
re-do the top of the 6 o'clock from
"I thought it was wonderful, up-to-
Farmington Hills. We deal with break-
date and he addressed important issues,"
ing news a lot; it's just not that often
said Linda Ditkoff of Bloomfield Hills.
that I have an engagement to attend at
"I watch him every day; I like the
the same time," he added.
fact that he's so passionate about people
But Abrams made a smooth transi-
and his issues," said Linda Boodin of
tion. He completed his national TV
West Bloomfield. "And," she added, "we
report and then stepped right back into
all want to be his intern."
the spotlight for an intimate discussion
Also spotted in the crowd were Judi
with a crowd of about 200 people. His
Schram, Dan Levy and Carol and
appearance immediately caused a stir.
Gene Zamler, all of West Bloomfield;
"He's absolutely charming — all the
Elaine and Michael Serling of Orchard
women are swooning because he's very
Lake; Chad Zamler of Bloomfield
handsome, and he's 39, Jewish and sin-
gle," said Betsy Kellman of Huntington Township; Regina and Darren Colton
of Birmingham; Layne Sakwa of Royal
Woods, executive director of the
Oak; Jeffrey Serman of Franklin; and
ADL Michigan Region, a Bloomfield
Lenore and Alan Singer of Bloomfield
Township-based organization that
Hills. ri
fights bigotry through education and
Alesa Silver of Farmington Hills and Emily
Fred Fechheimer of Bloomfield Village and
Eisenberg of Ann Arbor
Casey Koppelman of Royal Oak
B
Marsha Sakwa of Bloomfield Hills with
Shayna Silverman of
daughter Layne of Southfield
Farmington Hills
Selwyn, Hilary and Lila Isakow of
Bloomfield Hills
Regina and Darren Colton
of Birmingham
Carole Slotkin of Bloomfield Hills and
Susan Konop of Huntington Woods
Lewis and Judy Tann of
Bingham Farms
Marc Rosenblatt of Huntington Woods and
Brian and Rochelle Raznick of Franklin
JNPLATINUM •
M AY 2006
• 11