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EUROPEAN & AMERICAN

Moving Forward

DESIGNER

CLOTHING COLLECTIONS

Workmen's Circle to grow programs
from office at Oak Park JCC.

ACCESSORIES

HANDBAGS

Alan Hitsky

1

Associate Editor

in two weekly
Workmen's Circle
Yiddish classes
at JPM, taught by
Daniella Mechnikov.
The classes are co-
sponsored by the
Bernard and Reva
Broder Yiddish
Culture Fund,
Charles and Frances
Driker Fund for
Yiddish Culture, the
JCC, Temple Emanu-
El and Sholem
Aleichem Institute.
Frank is one of the
25 students. "I'm taking Yiddish to keep
up with my son," she laughs. "He's tak-
ing Yiddish in college."

is a prime, .66-
acre parcel, with a
3,350-square-foot
building and a 23-car
parking lot.
And, since the big
for-sale sign went up
CALLSHARONSTRICHARTZ /LESLEY GUTMAN
in early January, there
has been "lots of inter-
est," according to Lesley
Gutman, a broker with
the NAI Farbman com-
mercial real estate firm. Workmen's Circle plans to move.
The asking price:
$400,000.
and Yiddish classes, both held this year
Workmen's Circle-Arbeter Ring plans at JPM, monthly "Shabbes" potlucks and
this spring to move from its home of
Shmooze Cafes, as well as community
the last 30 years on Coolidge near 11
forums.
Mile in Oak Park to an office at the
Frank says being at JPM "raises our
Jimmy Prentis Morris (JPM) building
visibility and helps JPM as well" by
of the Jewish Community Center on
bringing more people into the JCC.
10 Mile. Workmen's Circle President
The move is part of a Moving
Arlene J. Frank says it "wants to physi-
Forward plan that Workmen's Circle
cally be more part of the Jewish com-
groups created in 2003. There are other
munity."
affiliates in New York, New Jersey,
The national organization, based in
Boston, Los Angeles, Florida, Cleveland
New York, was created a century ago
and Toronto. The plans call for working
by immigrants as a mutual aid society
with other Jewish groups to sponsor
and provided a net of health and educa- events and programs.
tion services. It promotes community,
"We've been working in this direction
Yiddish culture and social justice.
for a long time says Bates-Brackett,
The local group's major assets are the
"but we really got started last year
building and its cemetery on Gratiot
with [neighbor] Temple Emanu-El,"
north of 14 Mile in Clinton Township.
cosponsoring a scholar-in-residence
Last year, the adjacent Hebrew
program. The organization partners
Memorial Park took over the upkeep of
with the International Institute for
the cemetery.
Secular Humanistic Judaism, based at
Michigan Workmen's Circle Director
the Birmingham Temple in Farmington
Ellen Bates-Brackett estimates the
Hills, to help sponsor its annual collo-
group has 500-600 members, supporters quium in the fall and is a sponsor of the
and participants. That includes attend-
JCC's music and film festivals.
ees at its secular High Holiday services
This year, 25 students are enrolled

Proceeds To Stay Here
Bates-Brackett says the sale of the 60-
year-old Workmen's Circle building will
fund the expansion of programs. While
the building is owned by both the local
and national organizations, the pro-
ceeds of the sale will stay with the local
group.
Among the plans is an inter-genera-
tional Yiddish & Social Justice Choir,
to be formed next fall at JPM. "We are
trying to include all kinds of people
— all ages and groups:' Bates-Brackett
says. "You don't have to speak Yiddish in
order to sing it!'
She adds, "We all need each other in
order to make these good things hap-
pen."
Workmen's Circle plans to move into
a JPM office this spring, whether or not
their building has been sold. "Hopefully,
it will sell quickly:' Bates-Brackett says.
Several potential buyers toured the
facility last week. ❑

Series For Social Workers
West Bloomfield-based Jewish Family
Service has scheduled the next session
of its Continuing Professional Education
Series for Social Work Practitioners,
9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13,
at the JFS Orley Family Building in West
Bloomfield.
"Motivational Interviewing —
Engaging the Client in the Process of
Change will be led by Emilie L. Dauch,
limited license psychologist. Dauch is

ed. Reservations are required by Feb. 8,
to Stephanie Appel, (248) 592-2667. Or
e-mail Sappel@jfsdetroit.org for infor-
mation.
As of July 2005, changes have taken
place regarding the regulation of the
social work profession within the State
of Michigan. For information about
licensure and credentialing for social
work in the state of Michigan, contact
Robin Mingus, (517) 487-1548 x107 or
mingus@nasw-michigan.org.

JFS director of Clinical Operations.
This program has been approved by
the Michigan Continuing Education
Collaborative and will provide 5.5
CE units for licensed social workers.
The Michigan Certification Board for
Addiction Professionals will also award
5.5 contact hours, as the training has
been identified as related to substance
abuse.
There is a charge. Lunch, refresh-
ments and course materials are includ-

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January 31 • 2008

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