(Spirituality

Ready To Give

FJA students rise to Purim fund-raising challenge.

Blake Orman and
Rachel Margolin
Teen2Teen Staff Writers

The latter is often forgotten. By bringing it
front and center, the students and teach-
ers of the Frankel Jewish Academy in West
Bloomfield met Purim's fourth command-
our commandments define the
ment in spectacular fashion — with a goal
ways Jews are to celebrate Purim:
of raising $1,500 for Yad Ezra, the kosher
listening to the Megillah, giving
food pantry in Berkley.
mishloach manot (food gift baskets), enjoy-
The Holiday Committee, led by FJA
ing the holiday and giving gifts to the poor.
sophomores Yitzhak Applebaum and
Molly Goldsmith, created
a tzedekah thermom-
eter whose mercury
bar linked incremental
degrees to various collec-
tion goals. Ambitious as
the goals were the week
before Purim, FJA senior
Coby Shecter had no
doubts. "I knew everyone
would get together and
reach our goal," he said.
These incentives included
asking teachers to come
to school in their wed-
FJA teachers in costume: Ben Reynolds, Rabbi Azaryah
ding dresses, singing and
Cohen (without beard), Lisa Kegebein (in wedding dress)
dancing and wearing a
and Erika Ullrey. The thermometer shows fundraising
chicken costume for the
surpassed students' goal.
school Purim celebration

F

on March 10.
Rabbinics and Bible
teacher Rabbi Azaryah
Cohen, agreed to shave
FJA seniors Shoshana Gruber and Kendall Maxbauer
his beard if the students
reached the total $1,500.
He agreed to go the dis-
school at 7:30 in the morning, dropped
tance "because the cause was great:' he
spare change and dollar bills into the jar
said. "Especially in these economic times,
that stood at the school's entrance. This
when people need help. It was difficult to
generosity in motion continued all day.
refuse
Students remembered to bring money
In the end, the students surpassed the
each day, ensuring higher marks on the
goal, raising $1,644.88, all of which will
thermometer. Every reached goal ener-
be donated to Yad Ezra. And when Cohen
gized continued giving as students showed
came to school Purim morning, many stu- their dedication to the cause and their
dents didn't even recognize him until he
passion for the FJA community.
greeted them.
"It was no longer about reaching incen-
The incentives also reflected the stu-
tives:' says Jewish Student Life Director
dents' delight in being part of their teach-
Stephanie Hoffman. "They were giving
ers' lives. Reaching the $1,050 goal meant
just to give. Our students raised a record
physics teacher Amit Sharma would bring
amount of money in a record amount of
his 15-month-old daughter, Sonali, to the
time. I am so proud of them and so glad
Purim celebration. Raising money for the
to be a part of what FJA students are
needy spurred the fundraiser; the connec-
capable of." ❑
tion FJA students feel with their teachers
inspired the individual challenges.
Blake Orman and Rachel Margolin, both 16, are
The students raised the money all on
juniors at the Frankel Jewish Academy in West
their own. Everyone who walked into
Bloomfield.

Purim
In Style

Lyman Burgess of West Bloomfield, Pam Goldberg of Farmington

Hills and Pearlena Bodzin of Southfield enjoy the Purim festival
at the Shul.

Devorah Pinson of West Bloomfield and her children, Chaya, 7,
Mendel, 4, and Shmuel, 2

The Shul does the
holiday in style
— and by going
eco-friendly.

T

he Shul in West Bloomfield
allowed children to deliver
mishloach manot, Purim food
baskets, in style this year. Limousines,
including a big black Hummer, drove
the children to Oak Park on March
10 to make their deliveries, and then
Delivering mishloach manot by Hummer are Riley Stearn,
brought them back to the Shul for a
Purim festival. J&B Transportation pro- 7, of Farmington Hills with guitar, Hannah Wolfe, 9, of West
Bloomfield and Elana Weberman, 9, of Bloomfield Township.
vided the limos.
Back at the synagogue, children and
adults enjoyed a masquerade parade
with prizes and, of course, the reading of the Megillah. Other activities included a live band, wine tasting,
refreshments and eco-friendly crafts to go with a "green" Purim dinner that was served.

March 19 2009

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