Big Apple
Shir Shalom teens experience Jewish New York.
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Sophomore Mia Gordon joins in the hora at Sammy's Roumanian Restaurant during
Shir Shalom's high school trip to New York City.
Stephanie Steinberg
T2T Staff Writer
S
hmaltz, corned beef and Jewish
music — all were elements of
the Shir Shalom Temple Youth's
trip to New York City April 10-13. Once
a year, Shir Shalom of West Bloomfield
sends its temple youth (SSTY) on a trip
to one of four cities. By the time they are
seniors, they have had the chance to expe-
rience all four.
This year, 23 SSTY teens, who also are
involved in Shir Shalom's Monday night
school, journeyed on a 10-hour bus ride to
the Big Apple.
After a sleepless night on the bus, the
group arrived at 6 a.m. Friday ready to go.
The weekend included a scavenger hunt in
Chinatown and Little Italy, shopping time
in Soho, watching the Broadway musi-
cal Young Frankenstein (featuring Will &
Grace star Megan Mullally) and eating
lunch at famous Katz's Deli, where pho-
tographs of celebrities eating corned beef
sandwiches bigger than their faces lined
the walls.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Shir
Shalom trip without some Jewish educa-
tion. Participants visited the Tenement
Museum, where they learned about Jewish
immigrants who held jobs in the garment
industry and the harsh working condi-
tions they experienced.
The group also attended Friday night
services at B'nai Jeshurun, a Conservative
Shir Shalom Temple Youth Jordan Hoffman, a high school senior, orders from the
counter at Katz's Deli, a popular spot on the Lower East Side.
synagogue known for its lively services
taurant sing along to Frank Sinatra tunes
that include singing, bongos and dancing.
and upbeat songs like "Sweet Caroline," as
Leah Firestone, 16, of Birmingham Groves well as dance the hora around the entire
High in Beverly Hills, joined the congre-
restaurant.
gants in dancing around the sanctuary.
Eventually, this unforgettable weekend
"I thought it was really cool how every-
came to end. Matt Gorman, 18, a senior at
one let us dance with them and that they
Stevenson High School in Livonia, enjoyed
were really accepting:' she said.
his last SSTY trip.
However, nothing could compare to the
"It was fun being with the seniors who
dining experience at Sammy's Roumanian have gone on temple trips with each other
Steakhouse on the Lower East Side. After
since freshmen year," he
cramming into the tiny Jewish restaurant,
said. "It was nice doing
everyone tested their taste buds as wait-
everything together for
resses presented dish after dish of meat
the last time." ❑
selections like veal, liver and more. To add
to the eccentricity of the meal, pianist
Stephanie Steinberg,
Dani-Luv belted out traditional songs on
18, is a senior at North
his keyboard and made the whole res-
Farmington High School.
Mission: Possible
'Million Can Campaign' seeks redeemables to aid Friendship Circle.
Blake Orman
T2T Staff Writer
W
elcome to Friendship Circle's
Mission Possible: The Million
Can Campaign. By collecting
1 million redeemable bottles and cans,
Friendship Circle can raise $100,000. One
million cans seems like a big number, but
with the help of the community, the West
Bloomfield-based Friendship Circle will be
able to accomplish its goal.
The task is simple. Some 5,000 Mission:
Possible bags have been sent out to homes
across the area to be filled with redeem-
able cans and bottles. When full, the cans
and bottles can be taken to a store to
be redeemed or given to the Friendship
Circle. The redemption receipts will help
Friendship Circle reach its goal.
This campaign is not just about col-
lecting cans and raising money, but about
spreading the word about Friendship
Circle and the beauty of kids with special
needs.
The main mission of this project is
"to spread our message and change
society's view on kids with special needs:'
says Bassie Shemtov, Friendship Circle's
Lifetown director.
The real goal is to light up the
world with 1 million acts of kindness.
Friendship Circle would like help to reach
this goal one can at a time
Several members of the Friendship
Circle Teen Board have been working
on this ongoing project and making it
possible. They will be helping to collect
cans and recycling boxes. They include
Daniel Chudnow, Mark Fischgrund,
Max Klar, Josh Schostak, Noah Zucker,
Justin Cykiert, Austin Friedman, Andrew
Luckoff, Sam Shreeman, Lee Feldman,
Adam Goldman, Matt Luckoff, Brian Pesis
and Devin Weiss. EI
Blake Orman, 16, is a
sophomore at Frankel
Jewish Academy In West
Bloomfield and president
of Friendship Circle's
Boys Division.
Watch for teen 2 teen in next week's Jewish News
JN
May 8 • 2008
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