Metro RETIREMENT LIVING ON THE COVER "It's wonderful to be surrounded by friends." Partners In Torah from page 19 "I was lonely at home; I missed laughter. My move to The Park at Trowbridge was a wonderful experience. The entire community is warm and gracious, and I was welcomed like royalty. I like everything about The Park at Trowbridge—the wonderful staff, food, transportation, entertainment, friends and 4 0* neighbors. And now I can choose to be by myself or surrounded by friends. I've Call and ask about how to save over $600 a month! never had it so good." Letter written by Marian B. — resident Call or visit The Park today! (248) 352-0208 g ey www.horizonbay.com O at Trowbridge cs, A HOMION I SENIOR COMMUNITY The Brightest TO111017 -0 . 7.VS Be(rm • Here.® IGNiE LiveWell: Let Good Health Be Your First Priority at Any Age! r I 4"4 Mal 20% Off Entire Purchase I With coupon only. Not valid with I any other offer or discount. Valid. I at West Bloomfield location only I Expires 4/25/07 Ask for our expert advice or your health needs vitamins, herbs, weight loss, body building. 6738 Orchard Lake Rd. • West Bloomfield Plaza • 248-851-4740 See That "Nice Jewish Guy" For The Best Deal On A New Pontiac, Buick or GMC Truck! Come in and order the all new 2008 Buick Enclave See PHIL SCHOSTAK. Looking to exceed your from test drive to o delivery. I "71./4erre Zee 74644,...! 400 N. Main St., Royal Oak • (248) 582-5718 20 April 12 2007 children, like how to encourage them to marry Jewishly," said Berger who belongs to Temple Israel, a Reform synagogue in West Bloomfield. "If I can't bring Judaism into my life more, how can I expect my kids to." Berger has added a person connec- tion by having Rabbi Burnham meet her children and hang a mezuzah in their home. "A number of the people who come to the home-based classes have invited my family and I over for dinner:' Rabbi Burnham said. "And we take them up on it. We usually order in pizza or something so that everything is kosher." Children's programming, too, is an extension of the home study. "After a few of the classes, the ladies would say things like, CI wish you could teach our children these kinds of lessons!' and finally I took them up on it," he said. Mentors often become more than teachers for their partners, like Rochel Lea Groundland of Oak Park, who said, "My partner and I talk about our children and our families and attend one another's simchahs." To Rabbi Cohen, that's a thrilling component of the program. "Nothing makes me happier than when a rela- tionship is created and forms a friend- ship." Easy Access 24111 Civic Center Dr. Southfield, MI 48033 SPECIAL REPORT 1220530 For some, it's the easy accessibility of study that lures them. Convenience is an important accom- modation for Nick Karr, a third-year medical school student at Wayne State. Karr is part of other regular Jewish learning programs, but says meet- ing with Rabbi Burnham the past 11/2 years provides "a unique learning experience." "Rabbi Burnham has an incredible ability to illuminate Torah in a way that makes it personal to me said Karr of Farmington Hills who belongs to the Orthodox Ahavas Olam in Oak Park. "We have spent many hours dis- cussing other life issues not exclusive to Judaism. His background in social work and his sincerity make him an important resource for me." For U-M student Ethan Cohen, "Rabbi Burnham's flexibility and dynamic programming allows for students of diverse backgrounds and intensely busy schedules to meet and learn about practical and engaging areas of Jewish law." Others learn with their partners by phone when time is limited. As a mul- timedia learning provider, Partners also has started creating CDs of free downloads and Torah podcasts to ensure learning always is available to fit any schedule. There's no cost for the CDs because a CD duplicator was donated by Yeshiva graduate and cur- rent Tuesday night partner Mitchell Ribitwer. And the Weingarden Torah Conferencing Center was created to offer "big name" speakers to local stu- dents via satellite hookup. "Our goal is to touch everyone in the community in a meaningful Jewish way;' Rabbi Cohen said. That includes the volunteer mentor- ing staff, comprised largely of Yeshiva teachers, staff and the parent body. "Every single mentor also learns from their partner:' Rabbi Cohen said. "They also grow and enjoy it, as much, if not more than the students. And they also are always interested in becoming bet- ter teachers, so we bring in speakers to help them be better teachers for their partners." Rabbi Cohen, too, learns on a regular basis. "For three hours each morning, I study for myself' he said. "Then I get up from my learning and I share it. "The impetus for starting the Partners in Torah program stemmed from a desire on the part of the Yeshiva to give back to the commu- nity that supports us," he said. "We could share the Torah knowledge that we had in our staff with the greater Detroit Jewish community and help it be a better Jewish community. "This was the noble beginning to this great program, and it has succeed- ed in many ways. Our society is inun- dated with so much superficiality that the opportunity to spend quality time learning deep wisdom is a rare com- modity," Rabbi Cohen said. "Education is such an important part of life. And people are really hungry for meaning and substance that is difficult to find — and we want to offer it to them. Now we offer it in abundance." With significant expansion in a short amount of years, Yeshiva President Gary Torgow said, "Partners in Torah has achieved success and growth in ways we never dreamed possible. The Tuesday night learning program has evolved into a full-time, fully staffed enterprise that is reach- ing Jews in every corner of Jewish Michigan. How appropriate that this division of the Yeshiva Beth Yehudah is servicing in such a meaningful way the very community that underwrites the holy Torah study of the Yeshiva girls and boys schools."