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This Week
'70s And '80s BBYO Reunion Set
B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) members from the 1970s and
1980s will hold a reunion 7:30-11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Janice
Charach Gallery.
The festive evening includes a dessert and wine reception and an
opportunity to view the gallery's "PostSecret" exhibit. Alumni will
be able to create a message with a memory from their BBYO days to
include in the exhibit.
The Charach Gallery is located in the Jewish Community Center,
6600 W. Maple, West Bloomfield. Cost is $20 per person. Reservations
are requested by Nov. 23 and space is limited. For information, contact
the BBYO office, (248) 788-0700 or e-mail, sbeals@bbyo.org .
- Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
JNF Fiscally Strong
The Jewish National Fund, United States has achieved the highest rat-
ing by Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management.
"As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented
pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency
and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support
with their hard-earned dollars:' said Trent Stamp, president of the
New Jersey-based charity evaluator, which evaluates nonprofits on the
basis of organizational efficiency and capacity.
JNF has earned Charity Navigator's second consecutive four-star
rating for its ability to efficiently manage and grow its finances.
That puts JNF in elite company; only 15 percent of the charities that
Charity Navigator has earned at least two consecutive four-star evalu-
ations
Jim Hiller of Hiller's Markets is president of the JNF Michigan
Region.
Enveloped In Chanukah
According to the U.S. Postal Service, it's not too early to begin a com-
memoration of Chanukah. The holiday begins the evening of Dec. 4;
the special stamp was released last weekend and already should be in
post offices.
The design will be the same dreidel
image that has been used for the past
four years, but it will be updated to
reflect the 41-cent postage rate.
"Please buy [the] stamps as soon as
they are available," says Floridian Ronald
Scheiman, founder of the Quest for
Annual Hanukkah Stamps. "Use them
throughout the holiday season. Buy
extras and use them all year long. That's
what I do."
Scheiman, a retired postal employee,
also reminds that, according to the Post
Office Operations Manual, Chanukah decorations are permitted in
all post offices. He suggests those who want to see them in area post
offices, contact the USPS Department of Consumer Affairs at
delores.j.killette@usps.gov.
For information on the history of the Chanukah stamp in America,
access Scheiman's Web site at wwwhanukkahstampquest.com .
- Shelli Liebman Dorfman, senior writer
Red Hat Ladies from West Bloomfield volunteer to make cozy
blankets for children removed from their homes because of
abuse or neglect.
Making Blankets For Kids
Oakland County Child Protective Services removes more than 500
children from abusive or neglectful homes every year. Placed in foster
homes or other facilities, they must adjust to the loss of their familiar
environments, while learning to live with strangers.
Every Monday morning, volunteers meet at the Southfield office of
the National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Detroit Section to cre-
ate cuddly blankets to give to these children when they are taken from
their homes. These blankets are part of the Wrapped in Love projects
and are intended to provide a small measure of comfort as the chil-
dren go through this traumatic experience.
On a recent Monday morning, NCJW volunteers were joined by
members of the Free Spirits, a West Bloomfield-based Red Hat Ladies
group.
Volunteers are welcome from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. any Monday at the
NCJW-GDS office, 26400 Lahser, Suite 306, Southfield. Creating the
blankets does not require any special skill or experience. There is no
sewing involved, just cutting and tying. Coffee and snacks are pro-
vided. (248) 355-3300.
- Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
A8
November 22 e 2007
You've seen the printed sec-
tion each month in the JN,
now Teen2Teen goes online!
Though the Web site is for
Jewish teens by Jewish teens,
other generations can check
it out, too. Look for it starting
Thanksgiving Day.
Only at JNt2t.com .
E-Newsletter
Desire notification when sto-
ries that interest you in partic-
ular are posted on JNonline?
It's easy to designate the kinds
of stories you like when you
sign up for your personalized
e-newsletter.
Only at JNonline.us . Just
click on Newsletter on the
menu near the top of the
page.
Want the most current news
from Israel? Check our stream-
ing news from Ynetnews.com
for continuous updates and
longer news, opinion and fea-
ture 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.
-
- Gail Zimmerman, arts & entertainment editor
Teen2Teen Site
Latest From Israel
- Robert A. Sklar, editor
Raimi Returns To Michigan
Two November events bring stellar filmmaker Sam Raimi back to
Michigan.
The first was the bat mitzvah of his niece, Rose Rubin, at Temple
Israel in West Bloomfield, and the second will be the conferring of the
Governor's Awards for Arts & Culture at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Raimi, who has a long line of film hits including the Spider Man
series, will receive the International Achievement Award Thursday,
Nov. 29, when 12 successful artists from Michigan will be recognized
in a program planned by ArtServe Michigan.
"When I first started making films as a youngster, I didn't know I
could do that professionally and let that be my career," says Raimi, 48,
who graduated from Birmingham Groves High School and went on to
Michigan State University.
"I just thought it was something I would do until the real world
caught up with me and made me do something else. I was very fortu-
nate to have parents who allowed me to drop out of the university to
pursue my dream. I also was very fortunate to have good friends with
similar interests at an early age."
Raimi, whose first film was The Evil Dead, built his career as a
producer, director, writer and actor. The honoree and his wife, Gillian
Greene, the daughter of the late actor Lorne Greene, have five children.
Past Jewish winners of Governor's Awards are playwright Arthur
Miller and filmmakers Jerry Bruckheimer and Lawrence Kasdan.
The Governor's Awards for Arts & Culture will be presented
Thursday evening, Nov. 29, at the Detroit Institute of Arts. $50-$300.
(248) 582-8465.
www.JNonline.us
Celebrations!
Find weekly listings of births,
b'nai mitzvah, engagements,
weddings and anniversaries
as well as past simchahs all
online. They are all bundled
under each week's publication
date.
Just visit JNonline.us and
click on Lifecycles on the left.
Last week's poll results:
Will you be in town for
Thanksgiving?
Yes 67%
No 33%
This week's poll question:
Is cost the major reason peo-
ple don't join a synagogue?
Visit the JNonline.us
homepage, below the left
menu, to cast your vote.