Metro
Kosher PORK
Group aids parents of newly observant offspring.
Shell Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer
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Dr. David Kirsch is Hebrew Free
Loan's Major Gift chairman and a
man who has helped raise nearly $2
million in the past four years to assist
Jewish families in metro Detroit get a
loan when they needed it most.
"With today's economy — our
friends, family and neighbors are
losing their jobs and homes, and it
motivates me to make a difference for
them. There has never been a more
pressing time and I'm thrilled to be
able to help raise the money they
need right now," Dr. Kirsch says. "If
Hebrew Free Loan helps one strug-
gling family get to a better place
today, I know I'll sleep better tonight."
Hebrew Free Loari provides interest-
free kens for living expenses, rent
and rnany other financial nocda:
tition assistance, mechcai ew,
training, small business start-up
costs, and much more. it you or
someone you know needs help,
pfease crick or call_
www.hfldetroit.org
248/23.8184
HEBREW
FREE*LOAN
hfldetroit.org
We Provide Loans.
We Promise Dignity.
A26
January 17 2008
arents whose children have
become more religiously
observant than the rest of
the family understandably may have
questions or even be apprehensive. Two
moms whose sons are now Orthodox
are facilitating a new local group —
Parents of Newly Religious Kids (PORK)
— for those who wish to share their
family experiences.
"When a friend or member of
your family has intensified their reli-
gious observance, powerful feelings,
doubts, conflicts and concerns may
surface among family members and
friends:' said Debbie Silverman of West
Bloomfield.
She founded the chapter of PORK
along with Ruth Beitner, also of West
A Silver Celebration
Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy
will host a silver celebration party to
celebrate its founding 25 years ago.
The event is slated for Saturday, Feb.
9, at Congregation Shir Tikvah, 3900
Northfield Parkway in Troy. The dinner
will be at 6:30 p.m.; dessert and enter-
tainment are set for 8:30 p.m..
For those who want appetizers and
dinner, tickets at $54 for members;
$65 for non-members. For those who
want only dessert and entertainment,
tickets are $25 for members and $36 for
non-members. Dressy attire is suggested
for the evening. Complimentary valet
parking will be available.
For reservations by Jan. 25, mail
a check for A Silver Celebration to
Congregation Shir Tikvah, 3900
Northfield Parkway, Troy, MI 48084.
Congregants Rich and Pam Spitzer of
Troy will present a special candlelight-
ing and slide show to commemorate the
congregation's 25-year history.
Congregant Rick May of Southfield
will lead his band in dinner and dance
music during the party. Detroit Together
Men's Chorus, led by choir director Brian
Landrow, will perform.
Miriam Finerman of Rochester
Hills is the chairperson. Other commit-
tee members are Naomi Choinard, Cary
Levy, Joan Littman, Pam Spitzer and
Rich Spitzer of Troy, Elwin Greenwald
Bloomfield.
"Our mission for the group is to
connect with other parents to under-
stand the new lifestyles that our newly
religious children are undergoing. At
the support group, we have discussed
their lifestyle changes, sibling issues,
celebrating holidays with family and
friends, and how we can fit into their
new world."
In an related event, Rabbi Avraham
Jacobovitz will answer questions after
a 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, program at the
Jewish Community Center in Oak Park.
The program, which costs $18, is open
to the community and is geared toward
parents of newly religious kids as well
as parents of college students who are
involved in the Jewish Resource Center
of Machon L'Torah in Ann Arbor.
The program is titled "Guess Who's
Coming to Dinner: Creative Approaches
to Nurish the Family Unit." The event
is sponsored by the Oak Park-based
Machon and its Jewish Awareness
America program, both headed by
For reservations for the 4 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 27, "Guess Who's Coming to
Dinner: Creative Approaches to Nurish the Family Unit" program at the
Jewish Community Center in Oak Park for parents of newly religious chil-
dren or of college students in the Jewish Resource Center, call Machon
L'Torah at (248) 967-0888. The charge is $18.
For information on Parents of Newly Religious Kids (PORK), call Ruth
Beitner at (248) 851-6114 or Debbie Silverman at (248) 788-7682.
of Royal Oak, Eileen Isenberg of
Birmingham, Heidi Press of Oak Park,
Arlene Shaw of Hazel Park, Harriet
Silverman of Southfield, Marcia Singer of
Rochester Hills, Joan Slyker of Rapid City
and Susan Tauber of West Bloomfield.
Eco Torah Wisdom
Canfei Nesharim ("The Wings of
Eagles") has a wealth of resources on
its Web site to help Jews celebrate Tu
b'Shevat on Jan. 22. Included are articles
about Torah and the environment, Tu
b'Shevat seder haggadot and the chance
to plant a tree in Canfei Nesharim's vir-
tual forest.
Canfei Nesharim is dedicated to
building a better world for subsequent
generations by learning and acting on
the wisdom of the Jewish tradition to
protect the environment via Torah-based
resources.
The goal is to empower the Jewish
community to take actions that will
make a difference in addressing the envi-
ronmental challenges faced today.
Are members of the community
planning an event? Are Jewish environ-
mentalists looking for Torah resources
or teachings for an op-ed piece? Canfei
Nesharim has resources that can help.
To learn more about environmental
Torah, log on to:
www.canfeinesharim.org.
Festival Of Trees
On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Jews will celebrate
Tu b'Shevat, the traditional festival of the
trees. To celebrate, Rabbi Simcha Tolwin's
Jewish outreach organization, Aish
HaTorah, has invited Noah Greenberg
from the artist colony of Safed in north-
ern Israel to spend the weekend of Jan.
18 in Huntington Woods to present his
art.
Aish of Huntington Woods is sponsor-
ing the program as part of their efforts
to educate Jews about the meaning and
relevance of Jewish tradition. Greenberg
and David Moss devoted 18 years to the
design and adornment of The Tree of Life
Shtender. The result is a unique work of
Judaic art and craftsmanship.
Based on the prayer and study lectern
of Jewish tradition, it is an elegant piece
of furniture that conceals a treasure
chest of every ritual object needed for
Jewish religious observance throughout
the year.
Greenberg has presented his creation
in cities across the globe. Detroit's Jewish
Federation is a proud owner of one
lectern, which will be on loan to Aish
Huntington Woods for the weekend.
Friday-night family dinner will be Jan.
18 at 6 p.m. The Tree of Life Workshop
for Teens will be Saturday evening at
5:45 p.m. For information, call (248)
327-3579.