teen profile
T2T staff photo by Jessica Polk
1/
russian
student
explores
american
lifestyle
by Avi Buckman
1 he Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield embraces
Jewish teens from many different backgrounds. Over the past
- few months, however, that embrace has extended to include
an exchange student from Moscow, Russia.
Danny Aguldn, 16, was born in Netanya, Israel, where he and his
family lived with his grandparents.
"About six years ago, we went to Moscow because of the job of
my stepfather Einar had; he didn't know Hebrew-," said Danny, son
of Marina and brother to Alex, 6.
In Moscow, Danny attends ORT School 1299. Every school in
Russia has a different number, and 1299 designates it as a special
school for technology
"It is a Jewish school," Danny says. "There are classes on tech-
nology and informatics [a type of computer science]."
Danny came to study at FJA in West Bloomfield
through the ORT Russian Student Ambassador program.
ORT is a worldwide Jewish nonprofit organization dedicated to
education and training. The ambassador program brings students
from ORT schools in Russia to Michigan to allow Jewish American
and Jewish foreign students to interact with each other. Danny was
accompanied on his flight by Ilya Zhivotosky, who teaches Hebrew
and traditions at ORT School 1299, where he also is the deputy
principal.
"We try to teach our students modern technologies that they can
use in future life. We aren't an individual school; we aren't like FJA,"
says Zhivotosky, who already returned to Moscow
Danny recalls the day when Rabbi Lee Buckman came to his school
in Moscow and spoke about FJA, where he is head of school. Danny
learned he met the criteria to be an ORT student ambassador: He has
a Jewish mother, he is at least 16 and his English is pretty good. Danny
is the program's only exchange student because he is in 10th grade. The
others are in 11 th grade and
too busy with exams.
Though he doesn't under-
stand the English in all his
classes, he said he has already
learned much of it in Russia.
And making friends, he said,
was a little difficult because
of the language. The positive
student-teacher relationships
and the Jewish experience
stand out for him.
"There are nice teachers ORT Russian Ambassador Danny Agukin
and nice students," he said.
"They speak like you're their equal. You don't think there is a barrier
between you and the teacher. In Moscow, they don't understand teen-
agers. I had no Jewish experience before. We're not a religious family.
We don't do traditions. Here, I'm at learners' minyan."
Fellow student Moshe Alishayev, 14, was born in Uzbekistan and
speaks Russian fluently. He helps Danny with some English words and
taught him his favorite hobby. "I taught him how to play basketball,"
Moshe says.
Danny, who also enjoys the guitar, swimming and soccer, returns
home at the end of December.
While here, Danny has lived with the family of FJA sophomore Josh
Lowenthal, 16, and his sister, freshman Julie Lowenthal,
14, at their home in West Bloomfield. Going from having
only his little brother to being part of a family with more
kids has taught him how to be a "family guy"
Avi Buckman, 14, is a freshman at the Frankel Jewish Acad-
emy In West Bloomfield.
after hours
by Mitchell Barnett
Jewish music from old world to our world
lezmer music is an Eastern European tradition
that parallels Chasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism.
Around the 15th century, this lively Jewish music
was developed by musicians called Idezmorim. Their legacy
extends back to the Bible and continues to grow today.
I play this type of music as a member of the Kidz Klez
Band of Michigan, made up of students from grades 6-12
from area synagogues. Each student must audition. If ac-
cepted, they will be trained in the Klezmer style. I joined
the band as a clarinetist in December 2003.
When I first heard about the band, I wasn't sure I
would enjoy playing this kind of music. But, as time went
on, I discovered it was a pretty cool thing. Klezmer music
has brought me closer to my Jewish heritage. When I play
klezmer music, it makes me feel I am a part of living his-
tory, and that I am keeping a precious tradition alive.
Through the band, I have met many talented people,
played great music and earned money through a stipend
provided by the band. And we have played at such local
places as Noel Night, Comerica Park and Campus Mar-
tius Park in Detroit, Zimriyah, the Klezmer for Katrina
2 teen2teen December • 2007
Kidz Klez Band alumna Nicole Lederman of West Bloomfield
with her sister Jennferl Lederman, a sophomore at West Bloom-
field High School, and Emmy Corman, a freshman at North
Farmington High School, at a performance at Tamarack Camps.
Benefit Concert, senior citizen homes and the Walk For
Israel in Oakland County. We also play at sirnchahs.
Before I was in the band, it played at Carnegie Hall
in New York City and Walt Disney World in Florida. We
also have made two CDs, New York City or Bust and Romania
Mania, which are available at our performances.
The Kidz Klez Band was founded in 1996 by the late
Cantor Stephen Dubov. Since his untimely death almost
two years ago, the band has kept going under the direction
of Rick May and Shel Belenson.
We are always looking for new members. Klezmer in-
struments are the clarinet, flute, saxophone, trombone,
trumpet, violin, viola, cello, guitar, piano, bass and drums.
If you are interested, we rehearse from 1-2 p.m. Sundays
in the Kahn Performing Arts Studio of the Frankel Jewish
Academy at the West Bloomfield JCC.
For more information, contact Lisa Bar-
nett at kidzklezmom@sbcglobal.net.
Mitchell Barnett, 16, is a Junior at North Farm-
ington High School.