teen2teen e,YeCirt, Judaic Art Pontiac festival showcases work by Israeli native. Gabriella Ring Teen2Teen Staff Writer F or artists everywhere, Pontiac's Arts, Beats & Eats is a Labor Day weekend event that showcases their work for purchase and auction. This year, Judaic artist Orna Amrani from Haifa, Israel, paid her first visit to the Pontiac festival. Amrani studied art at the University of Haifa after serving in the Israeli Air Force, where she met her husband, Ami. She developed her drawing style in Iran. Ami was sent there as an emissary when the Shah was in power. Her first son, Saar, was born in Iran. The couple fled to Israel at the begin- ning of the Islamic Revolution; there Amrani had her second child, daughter Moran. The family yet again moved, to Nigeria where Ami worked as an agricultural con- sultant. In Africa, her artistic abilities were ((were nurtured and expanded:' She taught art and drawing in the community school and was influenced by African motifs. She also was involved in charity work. Her third child, Leedor, was born during a Florida vacation. Ami and Orna now live in Tamarac, Fla. From her love of history, she searches in libraries for old documents and recreates them herself. Her artistic technique was developed 20 years ago. She uses clay, metal pow- der, gold leaf and handmade parchment — and then bakes the creation at a high temperature. Aspects of Judaica that lie in her paint- ings are scrolls, mezuzot and chamsas. Each piece is an original. "My art does not reflect religion but the history of the modern Jewish people Amrani said. She, herself, is not very reli- gious. She is a full-time artist. "I love what I do:' she said. Husband, Ami, is her "right-hand man" and frames the pieces Orna makes. He travels with her to art shows. In her booth, Amrani says she offers unframed pieces for those who want to Ami and Orna Amrani at Pontiac's Arts, Beats & Eats spend less. Her art goes from $65 and up. Amrani has never encountered pro- tests to her work. "People always fully respect religious things;' she said. Check out Orna Amrani's art at oamrani.com. ❑ Gabriella Ring, 15, is a sophomore at Berkley High School. Making The Transition Hillel graduate feels public-school life brings opportunities. Jennifer Finkel Teen2Teen Staff Writer L ast time I had written for the Jewish News I was an anxious eighth-grader, scared of what the high school world would be like. I heard about Freshman Friday, getting lost in the school and what teachers I wanted and didn't want. I heard good things and bad things. There was no escaping the fact that time was passing, and I needed to start preparing myself as an incoming fresh- man of West Bloomfield High School. I went shopping for leggings and slogan T-shirts, clothes I couldn't wear at Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills. I started preparing myself mentally for one of the biggest days of my life, the first day of A44 September 11 . 2008 high school. The first time I walked into the halls, I was overwhelmed. There were groups of kids standing in circles. Everyone was talking, either about their summer or their classes. It was strange to think that I was officially in high school. It was weird to think that there were only six kids from my class at Hillel here with me. The first day of school was such a different experi- ence than what I was used to. I didn't know every single person in my grade as I had at Hillel; there were so many new faces and names to learn. For the first time ever, I didn't go to my locker to get books. The school was too big; it would be too much of a hassle. On the way to my first class, I got lost inside the school. I didn't know where to go and it seemed like the world was going to end. Adding to everything that was spinning in my head, I had classes with kids who were a year, two years and even three years older than I. During lunch, I didn't sit with the friends I have been with for the past five years, at "our" table; I sat in a whole new environment with so many students and in an actual cafeteria. You could go up and buy whatever you wanted — not just get pizza when it was pizza day; you could get it every day. I was so taken by everything around me, but I was having the time of my life. I came home that day with the valida- tion that I had made the right choice. I couldn't wait to go back to school the next day and see what it had to offer. I loved every minute of it and I am happy that I chose to spend the next four years of my life at West Bloomfield High. I truly think that I will flourish, succeed and have great years there. Of course, only time can tell, but today I am a confident ninth-grader having an incredible start and looking forward to all the challenges ahead. ❑ Jennifer Finkel, 14, Is a graduate of HMI Day School of Metropolitan Detroit and a freshman at West Bloomfield High School.