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July 27, 2006 - Image 18

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 2006-07-27

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Emily Rosen, 17, of West

I Middle East

Bloomfield and Emily

Orley, 16, of Bloomfield

Hills put money into

a collection box for

Federation's Israel

Emergency Fund.

Trip Of
A Lifetime

Teen.Mission reunion sparks
memories, spurs support.

Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

M

ore than 150 teens
who took part in
Federation's Teen
Mission 2006 gathered for a
party Sunday night at the Jewish
Community Center in West
Bloomfield. A total of 214 teens
participated on the mission
that was cut short by two weeks
because of war in Israel.
They hugged each other and
talked nonstop, catching up as
if it had been weeks instead of
days when they last saw each
other. They returned early in the
morning of July 19; a few are still
missing luggage. And many had
seen each other at impromptu
"bus" pool parties loosely orga-
nized over the weekend.
Before entering Handleman
Hall, the teens placed tzedakah
money — mounds of loose
change and bills — into an
oversized collection box that
would be added to Federation's
Emergency Israel fund.
A slide show of photographs
taken of the group in Israel •
played continuously during the
evening and drew claps and
sparked memories of the trip
that seemed to make a lasting
impression on them all.
Beth Margolin, TMO6 chair,
welcomed the group and charged
them with an awesome respon-
sibility.
"We still have work to do:'
she said. "The Federation has
an emergency fund to help the
Partnership 2000 region to shore
up their bomb shelters and to
send kids to camps in the south
away from fears of missiles.
"The Federation made an
investment in each of you — it's

18

Jufy 27 2006

time to give back to our commu-
nity and to Israel."
More than 25 teens signed up
to volunteer and brainstorm ways
the group can join local efforts.

Life-Changing Trip
Rabbi Michael Moskowitz led
17 teens from his synagogue,
Temple Shir Shalom, on the mis-
sion.
"They became de facto lead-
ers," he said. "I know they'll
speak up about Israel and lead
the others. And I'm confident
they'll be back to Israel and
influence others, too."
Rebecca Elkus was a madri-
cha (counselor) on one of the
six mission buses. She plans to
attend the Jewish Theological
Seminary to study Jewish educa-
tion in the fall.
"I wondered if my group
would appreciate Israel as I did;'
she said, recalling her experience
on Teen Mission 1998. "They
exceeded my expectations. Their
only regret was that they had to
leave. They made the . most of
their 2 1/2 weeks and, by that last
Friday night, they all gOt it.
"Just being there changed
their perception_ of reality. They
learned to appreciate what they
have and look outside the box.
The situation makes sense to
them because they were there,
saw it and recognize it. And now
they're going to do something
about it."
Samantha Haber of West
Bloomfield has been in touch
electronically with Penina
Yanihodege, who lives in the
Central Galilee. The two teens
became friends on the mission.
"She was completely calm,"
Haber said. "I asked her how it
was going and she said, 'Good.

How about with you?' They knew
we were scared. They are more
used to it."
As for the rest of the summer?
Some 35 teens will work or vol-
unteer at Tamarack Camps; oth-
ers may do the same at the JCC
day camp.
Rabbi Josh Bennett of Temple
Israel told the teens about other

Scott Berlin, Josh Forman and

Alex Simmons, all 16, and Scott

Jurewicz, 15, all of West

Bloomfield, enjoy the reunion.

plans in the works – to volun-
teer together as part of Summer
in the City, to participate in a
penpal program with families
in the Partnership 2000 region,
perhaps to travel to Washington
at the end of August to speak to
members of Congress about sup-
porting Israel.
And several families expect
to play.host in the next week to
Israeli teens from the mission
who will spend a little time away
from the turmoil.

In Their Own Words...

Read teen essays only
at www.JNonline.us .
Look in the center
features column or
click on the TMO6
logo in the left menu.

Clockwise from top
left: Jordan Milan,
Birmingham, Jamie
Maniloff, Erika Meltzer,
Dan Malach, Rebecca
Segel and Zachary Berlin,
all of West Bloomfield.

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