DETROIT
JEWISH NEWS
een
July 17, 2008 / 14 Tammuz 5768'
ftbt — for teens by
teens to
watc
These young
leaders shatter teen
stereotypes.
Texting during class. Ipod
headphones attached to
ears. Writing on Facebook
walls. Messy rooms. High
cell phone bills. Careless
car accidents.
Sound like an average
teen today? Maybe so, but
four Jewish teens in the
Metro Detroit area are
working hard to destroy
these stereotypes. Wheth-
er they're protesting the
genocide in Darfur, com-
peting in worldwide Bible
competitions, starting
their own radio stations
or saving their friend's
life, the accomplishments
of these four teens prove
our generation can do
more than upload pictures
on Myspace.
— Stephanie Steinberg, 18, T2T Intern
Staff photos by Angie Bean
S am Appel is a hero.
In the summer of 2006, Ap-
pel and his buddies from Camp
Kennedy, an outpost of Tamarack Camps
went on a five-day trip to Algonquin Park,
Ontario, Canada.
On the last night of the trip, a violent
storm caused a large tree to fall and land
on their counselors' tent. The impact
instantly killed Camp Kennedy supervi-
sor Jeffery Grey and severely injured the
spine of their other counselor, Aaron
Lebovick. Immediately, Sam began per-
forming CPR on Grey, although he could
not be saved.
Left alone at their campsite, the five
boys took necessary precautions, which
later were credited with saving Lebovick's
life.
"We kept him warm until help came
seven hours later. After that night, we
all went home to attend the funeral, and
Aaron went into surgery," said Appel, 18,
who added that Lebovick is doing well.
"I am a lifeguard at the JCC, and in
ninth grade, I was trained in CPR at
JAMD [Frankel Jewish Academy of Met-
ropolitan Detroit]. Then, after that, they
chael Drucker and Derek Gerson were
honored with the St. John Ambulance
Lifesaving Award, the highest civilian
lifesaving award given by the Canadian
government, along with the Ontario Pro-
vincial Police Lifesav-
ers Award.
Appel attributes
his strong Jewish be-
His actions helped
liefs with helping him
save a life after Camp
and his friends cope
and grieve with the
Kennedy accident.
sudden accident.
"I think that Juda-
ism helped me say
make you get recertified every year. I per- goodbye and move on; it made me real-
formed CPR on Jeff; it didn't work, but ize he was in a better place now. We said
I was pretty confident of my abilities. I the Mourners Kaddish right there on the
don't know what I would have done if I island. My Judaism is a very important
hadn't taken those classes; they really pre- part of my life."
pared me for that situation."
Appel, recently graduated from the
In June 2007, Appel and his four Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloom-
friends Henry Moss, Nate Nemon, Mi-
Continues on page B.3
Sam Appel
teen2teen July • 2008 B1