I discussed participat-
ing in the 2005 rally
in Washington, D.C.,
Liz Traison
against the genocide
Judaism leads to
in Darfur," she said.
compassion for Darfur.
"I felt like, as a Jewish
people who had been
in a similar situation
fter the Holocaust, the Jewish
in terms of being victimized by a greater
community's watchword be-
power, we should show we are in support
came "never again."
and stand up against this genocide."
Seventy years later, genocide is taking
Traison, 18, lives in West Bloomfield
place in Africa, and the echo of "never
and recently graduated from the Frankel
again" seems to be more faint in this in-
Jewish
Academy of Metropolitan Detroit
stance.
(JAMD).
Not for Liz Traison.
In April 2005, Traison organized a stu-
In 2003, when the genocide in Darfur
dent trip to Washington to join a national
began, Traison followed news of the ter-
rally
against the
ror.
genocide in Darfur.
"There has been a genocide for the
"My sophomore
past four years, and there is so much con-
year, I got very in-
flict going on. It's the Janjaweed versus
volved in the Save
the civilians, and it's also the Arabs versus
Darfur Project,"
the Africans. They are all fighting over
she said. "It is a
oil, and there is raping and killing daily. It
big coalition that
has spun out of control; there is so much
has been going on
slaughtering of the innocent," Traison
since the beginning of the genocide in
said.
2003. When I heard they had a big rally
After educating herself further at the
in Washington, D.C., my friend and I be-
Conservative movement's Camp Ramah
gan talking about how great it would be
in Canada during the summer of 2004,
to attend."
Traison thought it was time to take action.
Traison organized all the elements for
"For a few summers, my friends and
the trip to D.C. "I had to call bus compa-
A
nies and call the teens that wanted to be
involved. It was a lot of work, but I knew
it was possible."
About 52 kids from JAMD traveled
with Traison as well as 52 members from
the community.
Traison also founded the Detroit to
Darfur Coalition, a group that includes the
entire community and is not specifically
for Jews. Members work with churches
and synagogues around the area to help
raise money.
"We had a few concerts that raised
money in the area, and one night we raised
over $600," she said. "To those who have
nothing, every amount counts. Anything
that we can do to raise money is a step in
the right direction."
Throughout this
year, Traison served
as the student rep-
resentative in meet-
ings with state con-
gressmen to let them
know students are
concerned.
"Sometimes it helps when they see that
their younger constituents are involved,"
she said.
To Traison and the students of JAMD,
the ties between the genocide of the Holo-
caust and that of Sudan are too strong and
obvious. Traison's positive influence and
"Sometimes it
helps when they see
that their younger
constituents are
involved"
neurs threw a total of six parties at Club
Inferno in Walled Lake and Clutch Car-
go's in Pontiac.
Berkowitz and Fenkell advertised for
their events through Facebook messages
and by passing out fliers. The advertising
worked as thousands of teens attended the
parties.
"The entrepreneurial aspect of the par-
ty business is something I want to pursue
in the future," Berkowitz said.
Berkowitz will attend Michigan State
University in the fall where he plans to
study business. While he and Fenkell shut
down their party business to focus on col-
lege, Berkowitz plans on creating a new
business at MSU.
"I will probably start some type of busi-
ness that will make money without requir-
ing me to work," he said.
Hadas Corey, 18, will attend the University of
Michigan in the fall. Stephanie Steinberg, .18,
contributed to this story. She also will begin
at U-M this fall.
strong convictions motivated teens in the
community to take their activism to the
next level and travel to D.C. with her.
Traison and her sisters, Rebecca, 12,
and Randi, 10, all are involved members
of the Jewish community. Their parents,
Steve and Janice, are a strong influence on
their lifestyle beliefs.
"They sent me to an all Jewish day
school and camp; they have always made
sure it is a part of me and, through that, I
have been able to internalize it and run
with it," she said. "My mom and dad
definitely were the foundation for my be-
liefs."
Next year, Traison will attend Midresh-
et Lindenbaum in Jerusalem, a girls yeshi-
vah for studying Torah and other Jewish
values while being immersed in Israeli
culture. After, she plans to attend the Uni-
versity of Michigan as an undergraduate
student.
Traison said everything in her life is re-
lated to Judaism.
"From going to an all-Jewish school, to
being very involved in NCSY, to attending
Camp Ramah, to belonging to [Congrega-
tion] Beth Ahm [in West Bloomfield]," she
says. "All of the morals and values that I
have learned from these sources have really
influenced the way that I live my life."
Hadas Corey, 18, will attend the University
of Michigan in the fall.
Continuesfiom page B1
Calling Teen Journalists!
field, lives in Huntington Woods with right then, and they paired me up with
his parents, Jeff and Michelle, and two Aaron Gross, and we have been hanging
brothers, Andrew and Gabriel, who are out ever since. He is a great kid, and we
both Hillel grads and now college stu- hang out probably once a week for an
dents. He and his family attend Young hour or so. Friendship started all over a
Israel of Oak Park.
slice of pizza."
Appel has been a camper at Tama-
With some influence from his moth-
rack Camps for seven years. Last sum- er, Michelle Friedman Appel, he also is
mer he was a counselor in DeRoy Vil- gaining interest in politics. Since he was
lage, and this summer he is a counselor 5, he has helped campaign with her as
in HermelinVillage. In his spare time, she went from a local commissioner to a
Appel enjoyed participating in the plays district court judge.
at JAMD and in recreational sports.
"I love politics, and I took an AP gov-
A two-year member of Friendship ernment class this year so I could learn
Circle, Appel says he got involved in a more. It's an important part of my life,
non-traditional way.
and I find it very interesting."
"JAMD and [the West Bloomfield-
Appel will attend Michigan State Uni-
based] Friendship Circle are tied to- versity in the fall, where he will study at
gether," he said. "There was a huge box
the Residential College of
of pizza in a classroom one day and I
Arts and Humanities.
was like, 'What's this doing here?' They
Hadas Corey, 18, will attend
told me to have a slice, and I had to
the University of Michigan
learn about Friendship Circle. I joined
In the fall.
Join The Live Coverage
Teen2Teen will have a presence at two
major events: the JCC Maccabi Games
and Federation's Israel@60 event, "A
Fair To Remember," both in August.
Maccabi runs Aug. 17-22 at the JCC in
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To join the fun, contact Keri Cohen at
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teen2teen July • 2008 B3