ROUND TOWN Karenna Gore Schiff is flanked by JWF Associate chair Lisa Lis of Farmington Hills and JWF Chair Sharon Hart of West Bloomfield. Francee Ford of West Bloomfield and Reva Grace of Southfield Lighting ThA Way Former vice president's daughter illuminates Jewish women's luncheon. T Trudi Wineman and Julie Fisher, both of Bloomfield Hills (co-chairs of event) Margot Halperin (founding chair) of Birmingham, Beverly Lis of Bloomfield Hills and Patti Nemer of West Bloomfield Charlotte Prussian of Farmington Hills is flanked by Francine Hack and Mara Moss, both of Birmingham. Hilary Rotenberg of Oak Park with Gwenn Sherman of Ontario, Calif. he goal of the Jewish Women's Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit is to empower women to create positive change through social action and phi- lanthropy. So it's fitting that Karenna Gore Schiff, an author, jour- nalist, lawyer and daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, served as this year's keynote speaker at the group's bi-annual Women Lighting the Way Luncheon. Schiff, a graduate of Harvard University with a law degree from Columbia University, wrote the book Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Influenced Modern America. In it she profiles 20th cen- tury American women who fought for racial equality, women's rights and other social justice issues. "She told us our mission to empower women and girls to become philanthropists and decision makers is exactly what she had in mind when she set out to write this book:' said Helen Katz of Bloomfield Hills, direc- tor of the Jewish Women's Foundation. "She wanted to highlight women who are role models to inspire, encourage and empower women to be leaders." More than 280 women (and sev- eral men) attended the May 31 event at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield. The $100 per person cover charge helped raise money to benefit the foundation's grant making and educa- tional work. The group, which has awarded more than $500,000 in grants since 1999, is currently supporting projects like an after-school program that encourages healthy lifestyles for Orthodox high school students in Oak Park, a cultural exchange at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti that brings Jewish and Muslim students together, and other programs address- ing health, nutrition and domestic violence issues. Spotted in the crowd helping "light the way" were: Linda Hayman, Penny Blumenstein and Nancy Grosfeld, all of Bloomfield Hills; Naomi Margolick, Sherri Ketai, Linda Deutsch and Deborah Tyner of Franklin; Rhoda Benaderet, Karen Berger, Anita Naftaly and Ronda Ferber, all of West Bloomfield. E July 5 2007 29