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Menthe
This Week
This Run's For Life
www.JNOnline.us
Robert A. Sklar
ning. I'm excited to now use running to fuel more water sources."
That excitement will be tested as she and the 19 other runners,
Editor
including Rudy van Prooyen, 58, of West Bloomfield, take on the
Gobi and Mohave deserts in the summer heat as well as later going
he's running so others can drink clean water.
from sea level to the Rocky Mountain elevations over one week. Dow
Shiri Leventhal, 23, of Canton took time off from helping
Chemical of Midland is covering all of the run's expenses.
develop small businesses through micro-financed
Leventhal is the youngest runner.
projects in Sri Lanka to take part in a 95-day run sponsored
Leventhal went to Sri Lanka, despite its civil unrest, in
by the Blue Planet Foundation; the nonprofit was created to
January.
She found the people bright and eager to learn
help assure safe drinking water worldwide. The crisis affects
and
work.
While there, she has seen the bountiful results
1.2 billion people. Water-borne disease kills at least 10,000
of
community-based
water and sanitation projects.
people a day.
"The
Blue
Planet
Run:'
she says, "is an incredible oppor-
The first-ever, around-the-world Blue Planet relay began
tunity
for
me
to
push
the
idea
that everyone should be
June 1 and ends in New York City on Sept. 4. It will cover
able
to
drink
safe
water
to
the
global agenda, an issue I
15,200 miles in 16 countries. On the Fourth of Jul}, she'll run
hold
close
to
heart."
through Ekaterinburg in Russia where her father, Leon, of
Helping others is integral for Leventhal. While at NYU,
Canton, was born.
Shiri Le venthal
she
tutored disadvantaged kids in Chinatown. After her
Water is the one natural resource we can't live without;
work
in Sri Lanka is complete, Leventhal may spend time
yet millions of people do not have clean water. They've been
in
Israel
or
pursue
a MBA.
forced to put their lives on the line every time they drink the polluted
Shiri,
the
middle
of three Leventhal children, has had the runner's
and toxic water, says Leventhal.
itch
since
grade
school.
"It's my passion and what I do every day,
Leventhal earned a master's degree in sports management
regardless:'
she
says.
"To
combine that with traveling around the
and tourism administration at George Washington University in
world
and
promoting
such
an important and powerful cause is just an
Washington, D.C., and a bachelor's degree in business and actuarial
amazing
opportunity
and
a
dream come true." I
science from New York University. Her summer internships included
work at Adidas in Portland and Deloitte & Touche in Detroit.
The Canton High School graduate ran competitively on both college To donate $30 to provide fresh water for life for one person, call the Blue
Planet Foundation (415) 762-4340 or visit info®blueplanetrun.org .
campuses. "As a runner," she says, "water has always fueled my run-
S
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Celebrations!
Now Israelis View Us
Willa Wilson of Wolverine Lake helps granddaughter Emerson
Weinman, 2 1 /2, of Commerce Township, down a slide.
Everybody Play!
The National Council of Jewish Women Greater Detroit Section
opened a barrier-free maze at the award-winning All Kids Playground
at Hess-Hathaway Park in Waterford with a community event June 10
featuring hayrides, face painting, farm animals and the playground
for children of all abilities.
The playground includes transfer platforms, ramps, a poured rub-
ber surface and other safety devices, all designed to make the park a
fun, safe place to play.
The new maze was built with funds from NCJW-GDS and the Hess-
Hathaway Park Board.
— Ken Guten Cohen, story development editor
8
June 28 • 2007
The results of the second annual survey of Israeli attitudes toward
diaspora Jews, commissioned by the B'nai B'rith World Center in
Jerusalem, shows that 54 percent of the 500 respondents believe dias-
pora Jews have no right to publicly criticize the government of Israel
because they don't live in Israel.
This compares with 40 percent who believe that Jews who live
outside Israel can publicly criticize the government of Israel because
every Jew is a partner in Israel no matter where he lives.
Of those surveyed, 77 percent are satisfied with diaspora assistance
for northern Israel and for Sderot following last summer's war with
Hezbollah. A vast majority of those polled — 88 percent — support
the allocation of Israeli tax revenue to fund Israeli experience pro-
grams such as "Masa" and "Birthright."
"It is significant that so many Israelis are ready for their tax money
to be allocated for Israel experience programs for diaspora youth
— activities they view as the first order of priority in fortifying
Israel-diaspora relations:' said B'nai B'rith World Center Chairman Dr.
Haim V. Katz.
The telephone survey also indicated that 55 percent give the high-
est rating to the importance of Israel-diaspora relations; 78 percent
of those polled are interested in media reports concerning diaspora
Jewish communities or issues pertaining to Israel-diaspora relations;
and 25 percent believe that increased media coverage of diaspora
communities in the Israeli media will be most effective in strengthen-
ing their personal connection to diaspora Jewry.
— Ken Guten Cohen, story development editor
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Results from last week's poll:
With the Hamas/jihadist take-
over of Gaza, has the Israeli
withdrawal policy been a total
failure?
Yes 55%
No 45%
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