Joshua Wolfe, 7, of Bloomfield Hills tries his luck on the ropes.

A Fair To Remember!

16,000 jam fairgrounds to celebrate Israel.

Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

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Aaron Siegel with his sons Adam, 7, and Aviel, 3

hat began as an ambitious idea nearly a year ago exceeded
all expectations as more than 16,000 people crowded the
Michigan State Fairgrounds Aug. 21 for the Detroit Jewish
community's final celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary
"Israel gets people in this community united:' said Rabbi Joey Krakoff of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek of Oakland County
Riding a wave of community spirit that started with the opening cer-
emonies of the JCC Maccabi Games on Aug. 17, the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's "A Fair To Remember" drew a broad cross-section
of the community that represented multiple generations, all streams of
Judaism and a wide geographic circle.
The event was made even more vibrant by the infusion of 2,700 teenage
Maccabi athletes who were pumped up by the weeks competition and their
new friendships.
"Detroit is awesome,' agreed a group of basketball and soccer players
from Seattle, who were enjoying kosher French fries and chicken nuggets at
the fair before heading off to the midway.
"It was a trip that I will remember forever," said athlete Justen Altarols, 14.
"A Fair To Remember" will not soon be forgotten either. It will stand
— along with the rally at Detroit Central High School in 1948 to celebrate
Israel's statehood — as a defining moment in Detroit's Jewish community
"There was tangible community spirit — I felt it everywhere and from
all generations' said Scott Kaufman, Federation's IsraelSixty director. "It's
how I imagined it was back when everyone was in the same neighborhood

A Fair To Remember! on page A15

Allan Wolfson of Huntington Woods and Ilan

Weiss, 5 of Southfield

August 28 • 2008

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