Walk The Walk,
Milt The Talk

Celebrating Israel's 60th
with a sunny stroll.

Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News

about 350 people attended, Segal says.
"I'm very thankful for the weather and all
the people who attended" this year's walk,
learly the Jewish Community
Segal says.
Center Maccabi Games are so
The program began at the JCC, led by
compelling, a humble clipboard
Mark Segel and members of the Jewish War
found inspiration when it participated May 4 Veterans, who carried Israeli and American
in something of a race.
flags. It continued on Drake Road, up
While setting up for the Walk for Israel-
Maple and along Ring Road, giving elder
Walk the Land, JCC Maccabi Games Director Americans, who reside in the various Jewish
Karen Gordon tied a batch of blue-and-white senior citizens' homes behind the JCC cam-
balloons to her clipboard. And then suddenly pus, the opportunity to cheer walkers along.
off the clipboard went, floating away into
Halfway into the walk, participants
an azure sky, clinging tightly to the balloons
received refreshments, heard a bit of music
before finally disappearing into the clouds.
from the Kidz Klez Band and learned about
A few hours later, Marlene Turcotte of
some of the local organizations and pro-
Coastworth Station, Ontario, placed a call in
grams that support Israel and Jewish life.
to Detroit. A clipboard, bearing Karen's name Among them were standwithus.com , the
and address and attached to a bunch of
Zionist Organization of America and the
deflating balloons, had just
JCC Maccabi Games, which reg-
landed in her yard where her
istered 60 new volunteers that
daughter Jamie found it.
afternoon.
And that was just the
Among the walkers was Zoe
beginning of an extraordi-
Pinter, 16, of West Bloomfield,
nary day.
who said,"Not only did I feel
Nearly 1,000 men, women
proud to be a- member of the
and children attended Walk
Detroit Jewish community, I had
for Israel/Walk the Land, a
a great time supporting Israel
first-ever initiative joining
with my family and friends.
communities throughout
I really felt like I was part of
the world in a mile-long
something important"
walk in support of Israel.
Then there was perhaps the
Jodi and Steve
The event, honoring Israel's
most critical element of any
Richmond with their
60th birthday, was held at
Jewish event: food. Participants
son, Daniel, 16 months,
the JCC in West Bloomfield
were treated to delicious,
of Berkley
and sponsored by the Jewish
complimentary snacks from
Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit,
Jerusalem Pizza and the Matt Prentice Group,
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
including crunchy falafel, garlicky humus
Detroit's IsraelSixty, Temple Israel, the JCC
and snappy tabouli.
Maccabi Games and more than 30 local
"With 2,900 children from 15 Jewish
groups, including the Detroit Jewish News.
schools in the morning who ate more than
A
In the morning, Federation's IsraelSixty
100 pounds of cookies and participated in
also hosted nearly 3,000 children, K-6, from
two great concerts, (coordinated by Lisa
Sunday and afternoon supplemental schools Soble Siegmann from Federation's Alliance
for Israel-related activities in the JCC gym.
for Jewish Education), to the nearly 1,000-
Many returned in the afternoon to partici-
strong Walk for Israel, it was indeed a
pate in the walk. (See related story)
banner day at the JCC; said JCC Executive
Organized by Mark Segel of Southfield,
Director Mark A. Lit. "We were so proud
who resuscitated the event with Andre
to be hosting these two major community
Douville, executive director of Temple Shir
events for Israel. We found ourselves right
Shalom, the Walk for Israel actually began
where we want to be: in the center of the
years ago, then took a break until 2006, when Jewish community

C

Walk for Israel
participants

enjoyed the
sunny weather.

Left: Frankel Jewish Academy students Liz Rosner, 14, Juliana Kimelman, 14, and
Jenna Lopatin, 15, all of West Bloomfield.

Right: Jeff Moss, his son, Ben, 6, of Bloomfield Hills and Oren Lerner (with Israeli
flag), 9 of West Bloomfield of the Jewish C Scouts.

-

a

Left: Representing B'nai B'rith International Great Lakes Region are Pam Cohen of

Walled Lake, and Teri Adelberq Weingarden, Sandra Maurer and Michele Economou,
all of West Bloomfield.

Right: David Eisenstein of Bloomfield T ► p

May 8 2008 A13