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Change At The Top
Jewish Hall of Fame exec steps aside.
I Steve Stein
I Special to The Jewish News
teve Simons, the longest
serving executive director of
S the Michigan Jewish Sports
Foundation, will step down at the end
of November.
"It was a very difficult decision, but
something had to give. I don't have time
for two full-time jobs," said Simons,
who has directed the foundation for
12 years after a three-year stint on the
board of directors.
In addition to his work with the
foundation, Simons, 54, is presi-
dent of the catalogue division of DP
& Company advertising agency in
Farmington Hills.
Founded in 1984, the foundation is
best known for pre-
senting the annual
Michigan Jewish
Sports Hall of Fame
induction dinner.
The Hall of Fame
itself is housed at the
Jewish Community
Center in West
Bloomfield.
Simons
Besides honor-
ing the Hall of
Fame inductees and Alvin Foon Award
winner, the dinner also spotlights the
Jewish News High School Athletes
of the Year and Bill Hertz Memorial
Scholarship winners. The Hank
Greenberg Golf Invitational and the
Fame Games for developmentally dis-
abled athletes are other annual founda-
tion projects.
Former Michigan Boxing
Commissioner Dr. Stuart
Kirschenbaum, who served as presi-
dent of the foundation's board of direc-
tors the past four years, said Simons
will be difficult to replace.
"Steve's advertising background and
deep involvement in the Jewish commu-
nity made him a perfect person for the
executive director's job': Kirschenbaum
said. "He also has unmatched organiza-
tional skills and insight"
This year's Hall of Fame dinner will
be Nov. 6 at Congregation Shaarey
Zedek in Southfield. Among the induct-
ees is Detroit Red Wings star Mathieu
Schneider, the highest scoring
defenseman in NHL history. Former
Pittsburgh Steelers standout Jerome
Bettis will receive the Foon Award for
community service. The Fame Games
will be Nov. 12 at the JCC in West
Bloomfield.
Simons, a West Bloomfield resident,
wrote a 25-page booklet on how to
organize the Hall of Fame dinner. He
said he'll also be available to his suc-
cessor to answer questions about any
foundation activity. The search for
Simons' replacement will begin in ear-
nest after the foundation's November
events.
Bittersweet Summer
It was a summer teenager Noah
Eubanks will never forget.
First he learned he was the recipient
of the Metropolitan Detroit Maccabi
Club's $1,000 Robinson Memorial
Scholarship. The scholarship is named
for Jay Robinson, the club's founder
and past president. Past and present
Maccabi athletes are eligible to apply.
Eubanks used the scholarship to help
pay for Federation's Teen Mission '06.
He was one of 214 Michigan youths
who went to Israel for a scheduled
month-long trip that was cut in half
because of the hostilities between Israel
and Hezbollah.
"Even though it was scary, I always
felt safe in Israel': Eubanks said. "I was
so disappointed that we had to leave
early. It was very
difficult leaving the
Israeli kids who
were on the mission
with us."
Eubanks left
behind a soccer
ball he received
at a University of
Michigan soccer
Eubanks
camp in June. A
junior soccer player
and swimmer at West Bloomfield High
School, Eubanks is a two-year starter at
midfield for the Lakers' soccer team. He
was a member of the Detroit Maccabi
swims team for three years.
After Eubanks returned from Teen
Mission '06, he traveled to Vancouver in
August and won silver and bronze med-
als in his final Maccabi competition.
Eubanks, 16, is the son of Gary and
Gayle Eubanks of West Bloomfield.
His sister, Emily, 21, is a senior at
Michigan State University. Eni
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October 5 . 2006
35