Front Lines
Let There Be Light!
I
n the beginning it was dark and cold. No, it was not
Once glass had been popularized, mirrors were used to
because someone forgot to pay the utility bills; there just direct sunlight as illumination. Today, as a mark of progress,
wasn't light yet.
one can purchase a makeup mirror surrounded by a halo of
Here, then, is an abbreviated and hardly historically
artificial light, which mimics natural daylight.
sound history of the development of light.
Shortly thereafter — or maybe it was long
Early man noted the sun and the moon and worked
after but you are nitpicking again and not
out time to be up, time to sleep, time to shop, time
concentrating on this vibrant history lesson
to bowl, etc. One day — or night (who knows now?)
— someone found that animal fat could be
— some lightning struck a tree (TV antennas were yet
congealed around a wick and the candle was
to come so could not draw the "fire").
born. Also, wax from honeycombs was used
"Wow!" he thought. And cookouts were not far
in this manner. Each person then closely pro-
behind.
tected his own apiary; hence the expression,
When a bundle of sticks were tied together and lit
"Mind your own beeswax."
from a fire, the first flashlight was invented. Judging by
Many years later, Thomas Alva Edison grew
Sy Manello
ancient cave paintings, this early interior lighting was a
frustrated with a switch in his home that did
Editorial
boon to the art world.
not seem to do anything. He then successfully
Assistant
Man, ever creative, worked out that oily things such
marketed incandescent lighting. This led in
as some nuts, fish and plants could provide a substance
not-so-rapid succession to the development
that would burn and give off light. Poker games were soon
of radio, TV and neon lights, without which Las Vegas today
to follow — the atmosphere was smelly and smoky but then
would be dark and cold. This brings us full circle. (Yes, it does;
nothing much has changed, has it?
re-read the opening if you don't believe me.)
Early lamps — of metal or pottery — involved putting in
I'm glad to have provided a bit of light reading to shed a
oil and a piece of cloth or cord making a wick. Voila! Portable
little light on the subject for you all.
lights. Putting metal plates behind the lamps created a reflect-
ed brightness and was the forerunner of dimmer switches.
Helping To Heal And Care
Jewish Fund announces annual grant approvals.
T
he Jewish Fund approved $3.62 million in grant
will be a challenge grant and the rest will cover operations.
payments for 16 primarily health-related programs
Another challenge grant will support a new partnership
at its Dec. 11 annual meeting. Combined with the
between the Jewish Community Relations Council, Michigan
$854,445 granted in August, the total of
Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion
$4.5 million for the year represents an all-
and Anti-Defamation League to strengthen
time high in the fund's history. The average
relationships between the Jewish, African
has been $3.5 million annually.
American and Latino communities. Up to
A $2 million pledge to Sinai-Grace
$342,000 will be paid on a matching basis
Hospital will help kick off its $25 mil-
over a three- year period to support a series of
lion capital campaign to build a new
exchange programs involving an estimated 400
Emergency Medicine facility. The hospital's
people from across these communities.
Emergency Department, the third busiest
Grants also will help create a child abuse
in Detroit, is seriously limited by its dated
prevention and education program through
facility and lack of space. The new 50,000-
the Child Abuse & Neglect Council of Oakland
square-foot facility will provide state-of-
County/CARE House, substance abuse relapse
the-art care to 95,000 patients per year.
prevention programs through the Friendship
"As a legacy of Sinai Hospital, the Jewish
Circle and Henry Ford's Maplegrove Center,
Fund is committed to improving the health
and an ambitious social enterprise effort of
care of the individuals beyond the Jewish
Kids Kicking Cancer that supports its pediat-
Robert Naftaly, F and chair
community, especially within the city of
ric oncology patients' healing while reducing
Detroit:' said Robert Naftaly, Jewish Fund
stress in corporate environments.
chair. "The new Emergency Department will complement
Other grants went to City Year Detroit, Summer in the City,
improvements made over the past few years at Sinai Grace to
Humanitarian Aid Foundation in Williamstown, JARC, Jewish
assure the best medical care for the people of Detroit:'
Community Center/JVS, Rose Hill Center in Holly and the
A three-year, $2.78 million commitment to the Jewish
Barbara Ann Karamanos Cancer Institute.
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit will support three critical
The Jewish Fund was established in 1997 from the sale
programs that help older adults continue to live in their own
proceeds of Sinai Hospital to the Detroit Medical Center. Sinai
residences — day care for seniors with dementia; escorted
Hospital was a Jewish community-funded facility that became
transportation to medical appointments; and assistance with
a top health care institution. Since its creation, the Fund has
basic daily activities such as grocery shopping, housekeeping,
awarded more than $38.6 million in grants to expand health
meal preparation and personal care. Of the grant, $925,000
and human services to residents of Metropolitan Detroit. II
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SUNDAY 12-5
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THURSDAY 10-9
www.tenderbirmingham.com
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December 27 • 2007
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