To Life! SP ITUA' DIGEST Saving Culture Yiddish scholar comes to Emanu-El. A 271 WEST MAPLE DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM 248.258.0212 SUNDAY 12-5 MONDAY—SATURDAY 1 0 6 THURSDAY EVENINGS 'TIL 9 - 32 March 1 G 2007 aron Lansky will be the visit- older brother, who had preceded her to ing scholar-in-residence at America. On the ferry to Manhattan, he Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park took her suitcase and flung it overboard. March 9-11 to celebrate the 25th anniver- `You're in America now he told her. `It's sary of Yiddish literature preservation. He time to leave the old country behind."' is founder and president of the National Eugene Driker summarized the impor- Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Mass. tance of Lansky's work this way: "Jews Lansky's journey is dear to his friends are known as the people of the book. Eugene and Elaine Driker of When Jews were forced out of Detroit. They met 15 years ago the shtetl, the ghetto or any com- at a YBC summer program. munity, they were an itinerant but "From the first moment we not an illiterate people. They took met Aaron, we were smitten:' their books with them. Yiddish Eugene said. "Here was this gave them a portable homeland. remarkable young man who For more than 100 years, these was performing a daunting books mirrored Jewish life. These rescue that was way beyond books provide for current and Aaron L ansky his years by age alone. He was future generations access to the engaging and charismatic. His richness, humor and complexity enthusiasm is so contagious; of Jewish thought and life." he is like a Jewish Pied Piper." Lansky looked through attics, Their relationship flourished basements and dumpsters to over time, personally and pro- "shlep" discarded books back to fessionally. the Yiddish Book Center he start- "Our families have become ed in 1980, and which now holds very close;' Elaine said. Eugene 1.5 million volumes. Elaine a nd has served on the YBC board He describes Norman Eugene Driker for six years and has been Temmelman, 87, as a typical involved in its fundraising, most recently donor, giving Lansky his "yerushe, the for its $25 million endowment campaign. inheritance his own children had reject- The Drikers recently traveled to ed. Book by book he was placing all his Ukraine as part of the book center's hopes in me:' LiteraTour, which stopped at places important in Yiddish literary history. To learn more about the Yiddish Book Center, "We wanted to visit the communities click on this story on JNonline.us. that inspired the great Jewish writers such as Sholem Aleichem and Bruno Following a 6:30 p.m. dinner March Schultz': Eugene said. 9, Lansky will give a personal The Holocaust is only one of many introduction to modern Yiddish explanations for the near-extinction of literature at 8 p.m. services. At a this mama-loshn, or mother tongue, 12:30 p.m. March 10 Shabbat lunch which borrows from Polish, German, and learn, his topic will be "Hope Slavic and Russian languages and uses and Fear: I.L.Peretz and Isaac the Hebrew alphabet. Countless Yiddish Bashevis Singer." Cost is $12 for books were published in Europe, captur- lunch; discussion - is free. At 9:30 ing the culture and richness of the liter- a.m. Sunday, March 11, Lansky will ary community of its day. give a personal account of the last- When Israel was established in 1948, minute rescue of a million Yiddish Hebrew was named the national lan- books. Free coffee and bagels. For guage. Yiddish represented the oppressed information, call (248) 967-4020, Jewry of the past. Yiddish was discour- or www.emanuel-mich.org . aged in Israel and often shunned in developing American communities. Lansky, in Outwitting History, writes, "My grandmother was 16 when Wings Alumni Play she emigrated to America. She came On Sunday, March 18, the Detroit Red alone, carrying with her a single card- Wings Alumni will take the ice at the board valise packed with all her life's Compuware Sports Arena against the possessions . Oakland County Public Safety All-Stars "At Ellis Island, she was met by her and Meltdown from WRIF. The game is to benefit Mentor Connection, a mentor- ing program of Jewish Family Service. The game will begin at 4:30 p.m. and game tickets are $10 in advance, or $12 at the door. The event includes a clinic ($10) for children beforehand and a dinner reception ($15) with the Red Wings alumni afterwards. For information or to purchase tick- ets, contact Lindsay Leder, (248) 592- 2309 or Ileder@jfsdetroit.org . Understanding Jihad Tawfik Hamid will speak on "The Roots of Jihad: How do we save complacent America from fundamentalist Islamic holy war?" 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. Event sponsors are the Zionist Organization of America—Michigan Region, Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, Bert Stein and the Anti-Defamation League. Hamid is an ex-terrorist of Jammah Islamiah and was mentored by Dr. Ayman al-Zawaheri, Al Qaida's second in command. He is a medical doctor and child psychologist who has devel- oped a peaceful Islamic sect. For information, call Mark Segel, (248) 208-2773, or the ZOA, (248) 282- 0088. Eight Over Eighty Jewish Apartments & Services has announced the 2007 honorees for its Eight Over Eighty-Tikkun Olam Award: Harold Berry of Bloomfield Hills, Marvin Danto of Bloomfield Hills, Phil Elkus of Farmington Hills, Ethel Goldenberg of West Bloomfield, Norm Katz of Bloomfield Hills, Eve Lieberman of West Bloomfield, Ida Nathan of Bloomfield Hills and Jack and Miriam Shenkman of Farmington Hills. Money raised from the event will go to the JAS Quality of Life Fund. It pro- vides services not covered in a resident's basic rent, such as Jewish cultural pro- gramming, transportation, daily activi- ties, trips exercise programs and more. The Eight Over Eighty reception will be held Sunday, May 20, at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. The brunch is from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Cost is $65. The induction ceremony begins at 12:30. There is no charge for the ceremony, though donations are welcome.