To Life!

AROUND TOWN

Staff photos by Angie Baan

Devora Perlstein and Chava Kahn, both of Oak Park, and Bashi Kamins of Southfield

Michael Hochheiser of Oak Park and Elliott Weinhouse of Southfield

Food For Thought

Inspirational messages mark Machon L'Torah's 27th year.

I

n keeping with the reflective, intro-
spective and joyous nature of the
High Holidays, the Oak Park-based
Jewish outreach organization, Machon
L'Torah — The Jewish Learning Network
of Michigan, celebrated its 27th anniver-
sary with sweet treats for the body and
inspirational messages for the soul.
Three renowned educators spoke.
Rabbi Yitzchak Feldheim
of Pennsylvania, Rabbi Dovid
Goldwasser of New York and
Rabbi Benzion Twerski of
Wisconsin came together Sept.
5 at Farmington Hills Manor for
a thought-provoking discussion
and dessert reception called "An
Encounter With Majesty." More
than 350 people listened as the
Orthodox rabbis shared their
thoughts on defining majesty,
attaining happiness and the beauty of a
person's ability to change.
"The idea was to get people to under-
stand the High Holidays are not a somber,
unhappy time," said Rabbi Avraham
Jacobovitz of Oak Park. He founded
Machon L'Torah with his wife, Bayla, in
1980.
"The holidays provide an opportunity to
develop our sense of purpose and majesty
in front of God," Rabbi J, as he is affection-
ately known, said.
The inspirational evening also raised
$100,000 for the Eliyahoo College Outreach
Network, a national effort to reach out
to the 400,000 Jewish college students in
America, many of who intermarry and
assimilate into non-Jewish society.

"I think it's truly remarkable how a small
group of devoted, focused people have
been able to develop a vision to help college
students," Rabbi J said, thinking back to the
organization's modest beginnings. "We've
definitely made tremendous strides."
While no official records have been
kept, the rabbi estimates more than 10,000
students have taken part in Machon's
programs over the years, from
Israel trips to a Jewish leader's
fellowship program, Torah study,
seminars and more. But, he says,
they still have a long way to go.
"On the one hand, it's very
rewarding; on the other hand,
it's painful to see all that could
be done that's not being done
yet," Rabbi J said. "I think every-
one in the community who's
able to should make a connec-
tion with a Jewish student. I believe it's
the most important call of the hour for
the Jewish people if we want to maintain a
vibrant community."
Spotted in the crowd at the anniversary
celebration were: Elizabeth and Brad
Wasserman of Huntington Woods; Yosef
Klein, Nick Block and Shoshana and
Leonard Pollack, all of Oak Park; Sheryl
Zimberg of Southfield; Scott Stone of
West Bloomfield; Susan Tawil of Oak Park;
and Andrew Landau of Ann Arbor.

For more information about Machon
L'Torah and the Eliyahoo College
Outreach Network, go to the Web
site: www.eliyahoonetwork.com or
call (248) 967-0888.

Marshall Levin
of Oak Park and
mother, Florence

Astie and Rabbi
Simcha Tolwin of
Huntington Woods

Ariella and David
Gal of Southfield

September 27 • 2007

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