I Front Lines
NOT BOOK
Alen ine
World Jewry Aids Sderot Rocket Victims
P2K links Israel and the Jewish diaspora via an educational,
Robert A. Sklar
cultural,
economic and social exchange network. Today, there
Editor
are 45 regions in Israel partnered with communities in North
America and around the world. Michigan Jewry partners with
he top global organization that unites Jews from
Israel's Central Galilee. The Detroit Jewish community had two
Israel and the diaspora will increase efforts to
attendees at the conference: Franklin's Marta Rosenthal, who
aid Sderot residents, who have been victimized
chairs the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's P2K
daily by Palestinian rockets raining from the Gaza Strip.
steering committee, and Amy Neistein, associate director of
The Jewish Agency for Israel is preparing to use mil-
Federation's Israel and Overseas Department.
lions of dollars in just-allocated emergency funds to
Jane Sherman
The Jewish Agency conceived and still manages P2K. Since
bring all 8,000 children living in Sderot and surrounding heads the Jewish
1929,
the J.A. has brought 3.3 million new immigrants to Israel.
areas to a weeklong camp in the safety of Israel's cen-
Agency's Israel
The
agency
is governed by an executive assembly composed of
ter. Funders include the New York-based United Jewish
Department.
elected representatives from Israel and diaspora Jewry.
Communities, UIA Canada and Keren Hayesod (the
Franklin's Jane Sherman has chaired the JA's Israel Department for
United Israel Appeal, the central fundraising organization for Israel).
four years. She said the conference is meant to bring partners together
The people of Sderot need to know others are there for them, JA
to exchange success stories and discuss ideas that work and don't
Chairman Zeev Bielski told 175 participants at the second annual
Jewish Agency/Partnership 2000 conference May 20-21 in Newark, N.J. work. The face-to-face contact has proven invaluable.
"In past years:' Sherman said last week, "we've always put these
"It is just like the idea behind our partnerships: that we are con-
ideas on paper, but that's not the same as having people in a room
nected one to another, people to people, that we are bound by a com-
sharing details of programs that have been especially effective for the
mon destiny:' he said.
The conference was the largest gathering of its kind in the U.S. since future of the relationship between the diaspora and Israel.
"The partnerships have done wonders in forming the personal con-
partnerships between Israeli and North American Jewish communi-
nection between Israelis and Jews abroad, which is otherwise lacking." I I
ties were created 13 years ago. It drew representatives from 35 North
American-based Jewish federations.
T
Fundraising 'Shoe-in'
Among the fundraising events spearheaded by Relay for
Life of West Bloomfield Dream Team co-captains is one that
hopefully will keep on pounding the pavement.
Aware of the popularity of Jibbitz — decorative accessories
that snap into the popular Crocs footware — Tracy Naftaly
and Michelle McCormick, both of West Bloomfield, formu-
lated an idea to turn the craze into donations for the Relay.
"I mentioned to Michelle how I watched a story on oprah
about the woman who invented Jibbitz," Naftaly said of the
trinkets available in styles from awareness ribbons and
The "hope" Jibbitz suggested by
Michelle McCormick and Tracy Naftaly
Michigan Wolverine logos to a Pirates of the Caribbean design
local women
with the Jibbitz charm they designed
and farm animals.
for Relay for Life.
The next thing they knew they were discussing a plan to
create their own design and see if the Jibbitz company would be inter- a.m. Sunday, June 10 at West Bloomfield High School. Sold at $5 each,
all proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society (ACS) on behalf
ested in producing it.
of the team.
"We decided they should be the word 'hope: because that's what we
The Jibbitz may also be purchased by calling Tracy Naftaly at (248)
want Relay to portray;' Naftaly said. "So Michelle and her son made a
421-1747 or Michelle McCormick at (248) 227-5275 and will be avail-
design [with stars and sun to symbolize the 24-hour event] and we
able at Dunham's Sports and The Little Green Apple, both in West
contacted the Jibbitz company!'
They were thrilled when they heard back that there would be 25,000 Bloomfield, as well as n the Jibbitz Web site at jibbitz.com beginning
in July.
"hope" Jibbitz produced.
- Shelli Liebman Dorfman, senior writer
Dream Team members will sell the "hope" Jibbitz at this year's Relay
for Life of West Bloomfield, held from 10 a.m. Saturday, June 9, to 10
We Invite Woodward Memories
If you have notable memories of growing up or living or working along the Woodward corridor, we
want to hear from you!
As part of our July coverage of Woodward Avenue's 200th anniversary, we invite you to submit
recollections (of 200 words or less) for possible publication on the IN Web site: JNonline.us .
E-mail your items as an attached Word document to rsklar@jrm.biz by June 15.
Please adhere to the 200-word limit by editing your document carefully. Spell all personal and
business names correctly. Include your name, address and daytime phone number (your name
and city, only, will appear with your article). Digital, high-resolution jpeg images are welcome;
include complete captions, with all names from left, who each person is, the location and approxi-
mate date. Thanks so much!
- Robert A. Sklar, editor
This Week
www.JNOnline.us
Web Exclusives!
Much More On The
Six-Day War At 40
Available only at JNonline.us:
• Photos of today's
Jerusalem
• Ex-Detroiter Nick Martin's
war story
• Jerusalem school teaches
Arab and Jewish students
about 1967 war.
• The war galvanized
American Jews
• Israel's motivated military
• Michael Oren: Remaking
the world in six days.
Latest From Israel
Want the most current
news from Israel? Check
our streaming news from
Ynetnews.com for con-
tinuous updates and longer
news, opinion and feature
stories. And look at the
center of our Homepage for
an Israel story that changes
twice daily.
Just visit JNonline.us and
click on a scrolling story on
the left.
Results from last
week's poll
Do you think all college
Hillels should fly the Israeli
flag?
Yes 62%
No 38%
This week's poll question:
Should Israel ever consider
redividing Jerusalem as part
of a peace settlement?
Temple Beth El's former location at
Woodward at Gladstone in Detroit
Visit the JNonline.us
homepage to cast your vote.
June 7 • 2007
9