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July 03, 2008 - Image 28

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 2008-07-03

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Spirituality

New Addition

Zekelman gift announced at Darchei Torah dinner.

Courtesy Seymour Mende ll

I

Rendering of new two-story addition to the girls' school.

Susan Tawil
Special to the Jewish News

A

long with photo displays of
the Orthodox day school's 330
students and monitors playing
videos of class activities, guests enter-
ing the foyer of Farmington Hills Manor
for Yeshivas Darchei Torah's 22nd annual
dinner June 19 viewed architectural draw-
ings depicting the Southfield school with
a beautiful new two-story addition to the
girl's building.
Local philanthropists Alan and Lori
Zekelman of Bloomfield Hills are under-
writing the project with a multi-million
dollar donation.
"We are tremendously excited for the
children; said Rabbi Tzvi Jacobson, the
school's director of development. "They
will benefit immensely with this wonder-
ful gift from the Zekelmane
Zekelman and his family recently gave
major gifts to the Holocaust Memorial
Center in Farmington Hills and to the
Chabad Lubavitch boys' high school in
Oak Park.
"The construction of this state-of-the-
art girls school will forever change the face
of chinuch (Jewish education) in our com-
munity' said Dr. Henry Kroll, president of
YDT's board of directors. "The Zekelmans
have clearly demonstrated the importance

A28

July 3 • 2008

jf4

of Jewish education as the single most
from the Hyman and Sonya Blumenstein
effective method to ensure the continuity
and the Gerald and Eileen Borsand fami-
of the Jewish people'
lies.
Classrooms will be on the second floor
More than 360 parents and supporters
of the new 14,000-square-foot addition,
of the school attended the dinner. Rabbi
and the entire existing girls' division
Pinchos and Slavie Zuckerman received
will be renovated and updated. The
the Avodas HaKodesh Award, which hon-
first floor will
ored the rabbi for
house a science
his 13 years as a
beloved eighth-
lab, a library, a
computer lab, a
grade rebbe in the
domestic science
boys' school, and
her for service to
facility and art
and music rooms.
the school teach-
According to
ing girls' Torah
project manager,
classes.
architect Seymour
Zuckerman
Mandell, the plans
cited principals
are currently
Rabbi Dovid and
Dr. Henry Kroll with Alan and Lori Zekelman
under review
Sarah Menucha
Kahn as role
by the city of
Southfield. Once approved, building will
models for both staff and students, and
commence and should take about a year
thanked YDT's extremely active and sup-
to complete.
portive parent body for its "partnership
With its expanding student body, the
and cooperation, devotion and dedica-
school, located in the former United
tion."
Hebrew Schools building on 12 Mile near
Dinner guests were entertained by the
Lahser, has recently been experienc-
Darchei Torah choir. The 23 students,
ing many much-needed growth spurts.
directed by school parent Rabbi Chaim
Edward and Gloria Meer donated funds
Cohen, sang to the accompaniment of
to renovate and expand the boys' wing.
piano played by Devorah Moskowitz
Mickey and Debbie Stern dedicated a
(also a school parent) and flute played by
new nursery school facility. And a new
Reuven Dovid Kozadayev.
gymnasium was built with contributions
A video, highlighting the evening's

theme of Jewish continuity, art-
fully merged photos of European
cheder (Jewish school) children from the
Holocaust Memorial Center with present-
day pictures of Darchei students similarly
posed, changing computerized sepia-
toned photographs to full color.
The evening's guest speaker was Rabbi
Yechiel Spero, author of the Touched by a
Story book series.
Throughout his talk, Spero told stories
emphasizing Torah values, stressing the
importance of parents investing them-
selves in their relationship with their
children.
"Our children don't want things; they
want us," he said.
He then related the story of the libera-
tion of one of the children's Nazi Germany
concentration camps after World War II,
and how the starving orphans craved hugs
from the soldiers more than food.
Spero spoke of the importance of set-
ting good examples for our children, and
how much our actions matter to them. He
illustrated this with a story of a parent
of very modest means who bought a
seven-layer cake for his family especially
for Shabbat — and then gave it away to a
poor man begging for food. This made an
indelible impression on the son.
"Doing is better than talking to kids; we
need to show them that we live for others:'
he said.



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