Let Buddy's Help
You Plan Your
Next Party

SPIRITUALITY

RESTAURANT

Job Of A Lifetime

Janet Pont heeded call 50 years ago.

I Bill Carroll

Special to the Jewish News

I

f there were such a thing as a
synagogue hall of fame, Janet
Pont of Southfield would be in
there for several reasons.
She has been an employee of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield for 50 continuous years;
she started as a teenager getting $1.50
an hour and
now, as execu-
tive director,
is the boss
of the whole
place. She has
outlasted 25
congregational
presidents,
14 education
Janet Pont
directors and
a dozen execu-
tive directors, and her youngest child
is older than three of the Oakland
County-based synagogue's rabbis.
On Sunday, June 11, Pont will be
honored at a garden party brunch
at Shaarey Zedek foi her 50 years of
"loyal and caring service!'
"I don't consider this to be a job
— it's a calling," said Pont, 67, who
became the synagogue's first woman
executive director last year. "I'm living
the American dream because I love
my job and I love Shaarey Zedek."
On the same day in June 1956 that
she graduated from Detroit's Mumford
High School, she was hired as an
assistant counselor at the Shaarey
Zedek Day Camp. "That was the only
job at the synagogue that I actually
sought; all of the other positions were
offered to me Pont says. Having
learned to play the piano by ear, she
also served as a music specialist.
Meanwhile, she earned a degree in
French from Wayne State University
in Detroit. "I really planned to become
a French teacher — .I visited Paris
twice. But Shaarey Zedek beckoned
and I joined the Youth Department
as Kadima advisor, Chaverim advisor
and High Holiday assistant."
In the education department, she
was a Beth Hayeled teacher, music
specialist, high school teacher, conse-
cration (confirmation) and graduation
coordinator as well as adult education

teacher before serving as Beth Hayeled
director from 1985 to 1997.
She spent 1997-2002 as direc-
tor of Shaarey Zedek B'nai Israel's
Applebaum Center for Jewish Living
in West Bloomfield, followed by a two-
year stint as Shaarey Zedek member-
ship director.
"I'm proud to say we took in 40-60
new members during that time she
said, "and some of those adults were
my former school students. I consider
myself a 'people person, and I just tell
them I'm always here for them!'
Shaarey Zedek now has 1,800 mem-
ber families.
"Janet is just a great lady:' said
Elizabeth Fields of Franklin, who, with
her husband, Gary, and two children
joined Shaarey Zedek last fall. "I was
in her consecration class in 1984. She's
always helpful, cheerful and positive!'
Pont oversees a 40-member staff
— everyone except the clergy. She
also handles members who require
special arrangements for dues because
of economic problems.
"I pride myself on my people skills:'
she said. "We had gone through three
executive directors in a short time; it
was like a revolving door, but things
are settled now. One of my biggest
challenges is getting the professional
staff and the volunteers to work close-
ly together!'
Shaarey Zedek President Gregg
Orley of Bloomfield Hills explained:
"The board decided the synagogue
needed someone who is deeply famil-
iar with Shaarey Zedek, its members
and events, and not just another pro-
fessional administrator. With 50 years
here, that's Janet!'
Pont and her husband, Herb, a
retired teacher, have been married for
46 years, and have three adult children
and six grandchildren. ❑

The garden party brunch for
Janet Pont will begin at 11 a.m.' - -
Sunday, June 11, at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek Southfield. Cost
is $25 for adults and $12.50 for
children. The Janet Pont Mitzvah
Fund has been established in her
honor. For information, call
(248) 357-5544.

Detroit's Original Square
Deep-Dish Pizza Since 1946

Buddy's casual, fun
atmosphere is perfect for any
of your special events

Ask about our all-you-can eat party
packages for dine-in parties only!

Pizza
Pizza & Salad
Pizza & Pasta
Pasta & Salad
Pizza, Pasta & Salad

$7.99
$9.49
$9.49
$9.49
$10.49

• Birthdays

• Anniversaries

* Please note that the prices do not
include beverage, tax or gratuity

• Rehearsal Dinners

Also, let buddy's cater your party at
home or in the office with our carry-out
salad & pasta party trays and
homemade soups & sauces. .

• Graduations

• Sports Banquet

Voted No. 1 Pizza,

• Bar Mitzvahs

by Jewish News Readers
Voted Best Place for a Birthday Party
by Jewish News Readers
Recognized as one of the Nation's
Best Pizza Places by:
the Food Network
Real Detroit Weekly
The Detroit Free Press

31646 Northwestern Hwy.
Farmington Hills
Phone: 248-855-4600
• Fax: 248-855-3849

••

NI III III

• Bat Mitzvahs

• •Meetin

•

1082540

•

Visit our website at: www.buddypizza.com

• II II

• • II

It's a party
in a bumper car!

Whirlyball is great for birthdays, corporate outings, family
reunions, block parties, graduation, wedding showers, bachelor
and bachelorette parties and of course...Bar and Bat Mitzvahs!

Great venue for a
very unique party!

20,000 square feet
of party space

*
*

Full kitchen and lounge

Full gaming midway

*

2 Whirlyball courts

41550 Grand River Ave. • Novi, MI
www.whirlyballmichigan.com

248-788-8900

1086240

June 1 • 2006

43

