Front Lines
NOTEBOOK
Maccabi 'Artists'
Six Detroit area teens participated in the
first JCC Maccabi ArtsFest in Baltimore in
August, along with 175 Jewish teens from
around the country.
Rachel Pad and Alexandra White, both of
West Bloomfield, focused on vocal music;
Jonathan Werber of Bloomfield Hills was
Detroit's Jonathan Werber worked with
in star reporting; Deena Martin of Sylvan
Lake participated in musical theater;
Rebecca Pad of West Bloomfield was in
visual arts; and Jarryd Elias of Bloomfield
Hills was in instrumental music.
The Detroit delegation head was Patty
Ceresnie of West Bloomfield.
Jonathan Werber was among seven teen
journalists led by Phil Jacobs, former edi-
tor of the Detroit Jewish News and now
editor of the Baltimore Jewish Times.
The team covered the JCC Maccabi ArtsFest
for the Jewish Times cover story Aug. 25.
Werber, a photographer, took pictures for
that story and a photo spread in the In
Aug. 31 issue.
ArtsFest was coordinated by former
Detroiter Arlene Sorkin, who now works
for the national Jewish Community Centers
Association in New York.
Rebecca Gardner, staff photographer for
Art Benefits
AIDS
More than 300 of Detroit's most promi-
nent artists will donate original pieces
of art to be auctioned at the 11th annual
"Art Works for Life" starting at 5 p.m.
on Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Ritz-Carlton
in Dearborn. The event benefits the
Midwest AIDS Prevention Project
(MAPP).
"Art Works for Life" will feature a live
with auctioneer Jim Miller, a silent auc-
tion, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a
cash bar, valet or self-parking and live
musical entertainment.
Holocaust survivor Zygie Allweiss'
story about his survival left one stu-
dent in tears. Moved by his words,
Kelsey Warner of New Covenant
Christian School in Lansing, wrote
a poem to Allweiss called "The Day
That Changed My Life."
Read Warner's poem on
JNonline.us. Look under Opinion on
the left for Robert Sklar's Editor's
Notebook for Sept. 7.
Latest From Israel
the flowers. Owner Brad Cochran told the
Royal Oak Daily Tribune that he contin-
ued to maintain the graves into August, but
- reluctantly stopped after a promised partial
payment did not arrive after 75 days.
Cochran continues to maintain the
graves in two sections of Oakview owned
by Congregation B'nai Moshe because the
synagogue has a separate contract with
him.
Suzanne Jolicoeuer, cemetery commis-
sioner for the Michigan Department of
Labor and Economic Growth in Lansing,
last week could not give a timetable for the
state's investigation into Mikocem's invest-
ment of the cemetery trust funds. She said
the investigation "was ongoing" by her
enforcement division.
- Alan Hitsky, associate editor
Helping Hands
School-age kids taking part in the Oakland
Schools Homeless Student Education
Program now enjoy backpacks filled with
school supplies thanks to the National
Council of Jewish Women-Greater Detroit
Section, which coordinated the volunteer
packers.
Three-hundred kids in kindergarten
through 12th grade will benefit. Local
dentists donated the toothbrushes. The
Michigan Friends of Education donated
Moved By Survivor
Laurie Freeman writes weekly about
her adventures with China Punim,
her 4-year-old daughter adopted
from China. Follow the fun.
Only at JNonline.us . Just click on
JBlog on the menu on the left.
Dried Flowers
The heat and lack of care at Oakview
Cemetery in Royal Oak is affecting the
plantings on the graves — except in the
two sections owned by Congregation B'nai
Moshe of West Bloomfield.
The company that plants and cares for
the flowers has taken the cemetery owner
to arbitration because it claims it is owed
$250,000 for work on 3,000 graves at 11
area cemeteries owned by Mikocem.
Mikocem, an Oklahoma corporation,
is being investigated by Michigan and
Tennessee over allegations that it removed
more than $60 million from cemetery trust
funds for prepaid burials and perpetual
care. Mikocem owns 28 cemeteries in
Michigan.
Insta-Bed Floral Systems in Royal Oak
has the contract to plant and maintain
This Week
JBloq
- Alan Hitsky, associate editor
the Baltimore Jewish Times.
AlenlIne
books.
The average age of a homeless person in
Oakland County is 9, but it's dropping each
year. About 1,000 kids enroll annually in the
program.
Another 300 backpacks will be filled with
school supplies in January. Volunteer pack-
ers again are sought. Call (248) 355-3300,
ext. O.
- Robert A. Sklar, editor
Acts of Power XIII,
Lynne Avadenka
Honorary chairpersons for this year's
benefit are Gov. Jennifer Granholm
and U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie
Stabenow, D-Mich. Honorary host is
Fanchon Stinger of FOX2 News-Detroit:
Among the participating artists
include Matthew Gross, Lynne Avadenka,
Ed Levine, Marcia Freedman, Jeffrey
Abt, Ray Katz and Linda Soberman,
Carl Demeulenaere, Jeanne Bieri, Mel
Rosas, Sergio De Giusti, Claudia Shepard,
Stephen Magsig, Anne Fracassa, Eric
Mesko and many others.
The Midwest AIDS Prevention Project
(MAPP) is a nonprofit, community-
based organization that provides HIV-
AIDS education programs for commu-
nity groups throughout the Great Lakes
Region.
Reservations are $85. For a complete
list of participating artists, reservations
or for more information, call (248) 545-
1435 or visit www.artworksforlife.org .
- Keri Guten, story development editor
Want the most current news from
Israel? Check our streaming news
from Ynetnews:com for continuous
updates and longer news, opinion
and feature stories.
Just visit JNonline.us and click on
a scrolling story on the left.
Web Extras
Here's your chance to get ahead of
the printed issue of the JN. In this
spot look for a stories that deal with
breaking news.
Just visit JNonline.us and click on
Web Extras on the left.
Poll Results:
Which political party is friendlier to
Israel?
Democratic Party: 22%
Republican Party: 65%
Neither. It's not a partisan
issue: 13%
This week's question:
Should countries that do not rec-
ognize Israel's right to exist be
allowed to contribute troops to the
U.N. peacekeeping force in southern
Lebanon?
Visit the JNonline.us homepage to
cast your vote.
2006
9