one teen's opinion . .
by Seth Samuels
looking back and forward
Time is now for this generation to roll up its sleeves.
I
t goes without saying that
democracy that set an example
we are all experiencing
for the world from which they
unprecedented times.
came. In doing so, they were
While foreclosures and job
the first to make the choice to
wE CAN BELIEVE IN
losses, ailing investments, po-
go to work (in this case against
litical division and the War on
the Redcoats). When the Civil
Terror each have grown into
War was at its climax, it was
larger pieces of our nation's
President Abraham Lincoln's
pie, it seems we, as a people,
inspiration that held the still-
have undergone some great
adolescent America together,
change as well.
and from there, a choice was
And now, as we reflect on
made again — this time to pre-
one of the more legendary
serve what the Founders es-
"changing of the guard" in his-
tablished.
tory, with a new family in our
When the Great Depres-
nation's Capitol, the true test
sion of the 1930s was in full
will be how we address and act
swing, and it seemed there
on an agenda no longer exclu-
was no end to the economic
sive to the folks in D.C.
freefall, a choice, initiated by
OBAMA •
One of the more amazing
President Franklin Roosevelt,
facets of these legendary times
was made to pick people up
is how they umbrella both the events and ideas of out of the trenches of unemployment and into a pro-
so many historical times, ranging from the Revolu- gressive World War II economy. And then, when
tionary War to the Cold War. During each of these the Soviet Union beat us into space and communism
historical milestones, Americans have been faced seemed to have a strong hold on Eastern Europe,
with a decision — either to fold or remain resilient. it was America's choice to continue to preach de-
Fortunately, they often chose the latter, despite the mocracy — an act that would eventually inspire the
daunting work that lay before them as a result of destruction of the Berlin Wall.
their choice.
Once again, we are faced with that choice; and this Choice To Make Today
time, our 233-year history is staring us in the face.
Today, while frozen credit, rising unemployment
During the time of this country's birth, our Found- and debt and a weakening dollar paint our eco-
ers established this American ideology of resilience nomic picture, the plan to stimulate, invigorate and
and excellence. It was the desire to create a successful rejuvenate is no different than any of these histori-
CHANGE
slice of life
cal moments — we as a people must make a choice.
A choice to buckle down and commit to more re-
sponsible financing, a choice to learn rather than
ignore, a choice to set aside differences in the name
of progress, and a choice to maintain what our
Founders intended — a democracy of and by the
people. These choices are what will create the basis
of President Barack Obama's administration, but it
is us that will fuel it.
As our new president gave his inaugural speech,
he spoke about this choice that we Americans must
make. "At these moments, Americans carried on ...
because we, the people, have remained faithful to
the ideals of our forbearers," he said. "We have cho-
sen hope over fear; unity and purpose over conflict
and discord." Nonetheless, his reassuring bit of real-
ity notes that in making this choice, we must recip-
rocate by rolling up our sleeves and awakening that
genuine American character that has been dormant
over the last several years.
"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring
spirit, to choose our better history, to carry forward
that precious gift," the president remarked. In the
end, we'll recover stronger and wiser as a nation
than we were before. We will continue to write this
"better history," but the only variable is choice, and
only time will tell when we — as President John Ken-
nedy, "the Obama of the 1960s,"
so famously proclaimed — "Ask
not what your country can do for
you, but what you can do for your
country." {
Seth Samuels, 18, is a senior at
Birmingham Groves High School.
helping to feed Israel
America Eats for Israel is a project run by high school students in the United States and
Canada. This program, based out of Yeshivat Rambam of Baltimore, began five years ago
with a goal of raising money for tzedakah, or charity, mainly in Israel.
On April 22, local Detroit restaurants will be donating 10 percent of their profits to the
Kiryat Gat Feeding Center project at the Mortimer and Abigail Zuckerman Southern Israel
Nutrition Center in Kiryat Gat in the Negev through Meir Panim, an Israeli relief organization.
The nutrition center will provide hot, nourishing meals to 30,000 children daily.
In Israel, 1.65 million people live below the poverty line — 805,000 of them are children.
One in three children in Israel suffers from hunger, according to Meir Panim.
Locally, Carvel Ice Cream, 6695 Orchard Lake Road in West Bloomfield, and Jerusalem
Pizza, 26025 Greenfield Road in Southfield, are kosher food establishments participating
so far.
Teen Center Fun
For the second year, Rachel Brown of Southfield and Rachel Margolin of Orchard Lake,
both students at the Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield and T2T staffers, are repre-
Local teens gathered for an informal Super Bowl party Feb. 1 that included
senting the America Eats For Israel team by helping to get Detroit involved in this charitable
watching half-time commercials in their cool 3-D glasses in the Beverly
project.
Prentis Wagner Teen Center at the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield. Grand opening of the new center is Saturday, March 28. Watch
for details on Mt2t.corn.
"This year, our goal is to spread the word to get people out to eat and raise money at the
same time," they said.
For more Information on the Kiryat Gat Feeding Center project, go to meirpanim.org .
teen2teen February • 2009 B3