Local Christian Support
Benefits Israeli Children
D
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18
March 29 • 2007
1234480
uring a "Night to Honor Israel"
in January before an audience
of nearly 6,000, Bishop Keith
Butler of the Word of Faith International
Christian Center in Southfield pre-
sented a check for $25,000 to the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit to
benefit Ethiopian immigrants at the Sapir
Absorption Center in Kiryat Yam, near
Haifa.
Susie Pappas, president of the
Federation Women's Department, said,
"This gift will make a meaningful differ-
ence in hundreds of lives"
Little did she know at the time that the
gift would grow many times over, and
that the total funds raised as a result of
the event would exceed $115,000.
Recently, in a video message, Rabbi
Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of
the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, presented its highest honor, the
Ambassador's Award, to Bishop Butler
and Pastor John Hagee of Cornerstone
Church of San Antonio.
"My love for the nation of Israel
compels me to do all I can to help',' said
Bishop Butler, who leads the mega-
church of 22,000.
Describing Bishop Butler as a "long-
standing partner working in solidarity
with the people of Israel': Federation
President Peter M. Alter said about the
monetary gift: "Here's proof positive that
Israel has the heart of the greater Detroit
community, working together, united
in purpose. The generosity, spontane-
ity and leadership of the Word of Faith
congregation have been nothing short of
inspiring."
Last summer, the Sapir Absorption
Center was hit by a Katyusha rocket,
which fell only three feet from a class-
room where 100 Ethiopian immigrant
children were taking a break from the sti-
fling bomb shelter. Though windows were
shattered and the door caved in, everyone
ran to safety.
The absorption's center's 500 residents
at the time of the attack were all new
immigrants from Ethiopia; 30 had only
recently arrived in their new homeland.
Some came to Kiryat Yam at the last min-
ute as the Nahariya Absorption Center
was in imminent danger from the attacks.
The population of Kiryat Yam is about
38,000. A large percentage is new arriv-
als from the former Soviet Union, North
Africa and Ethiopia. The average Kiryat
Yam income is about $1066 per month,
(almost $500 below the national aver-
age).
New Head Of Hillel Board
Gary Snyder has been elected president
of the board the Hillel Foundation of
Metropolitan Detroit.
Snyder is the man-
aging director of
Nonprofit Imperative
in West Bloomfield,
a consulting firm for
the nonprofit sector.
He has been active at
Gary Snyder
the national and local
levels of Hillel for more
than a decade.
Other HMD officers include vice presi-
dents Jonathan Block, Elaine Driker and
Jeffrey Shanbom; treasurer Sidney Katz;
and secretary Linda Zlotoff.
sentiment on a local, national and global
level. Its members hope to create an
avenue, through education and advocacy,
for individuals of all religions and races
throughout MetroDetroit to join in the
fight against terrorism.
Admission to the presentation is free,
but reservations are requested. Call Elaine
Bertsch, (248) 661-5700 or Elaine@
temple-israel.org .
Combating Terrorism
Temple Israel's United Against Terrorism
Task Force will present Fredric Sandler,
special agent with the Detroit FBI, at 7
p.m. Tuesday, April 17.
Sandler will speak about the FBI's
national mission to combat terrorism and
will discuss what is happening locally in
Metro Detroit.
The United Against Terrorism Task
Force at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield
was created to help combat anti-
Semitism, anti-Israel and anti-Western
Peace Pilgrimage
On Monday, April 9, a group of religious
leaders and lay people from Metro Detroit
will head to the Middle East on an eight-
day trip to help bring reconciliation to the
children of Abraham.
They will be going to support the
Middle East Peace Initiative, a project of
the Universal Peace Federation. The MEPI
focuses on bringing peace through the
reconciliation of religious leaders.
Participants will visit rabbis and
imams in the spirit of love, service and
dialogue. They will experience the Holy
Land by visiting sites such as the Sea of
Galilee, Gethsemane, and the Western
Wall in Jerusalem.
To join in this pilgrimage, call Edward
Taub, (313) 822-5553 or e-mail etaub@
provide.net for an information packet.