Family Focus
Christmas At
Beth Shalom
Synagogue gives homeless guests
a merry, meaningful holiday.
South Oakland Shelter guests open presents on
Christmas Day at Beth Shalom.
, _
AgraNVII
.
Beth Shalom volunteers Alana Doctoroff, Rachel Zemmol,
A
Adam Edery-Bean, Nicole Doctoroff and Maya Edery-Bean, all
week of mitzvahs and miracles began Dec. 20 at
of Huntington Woods, and Hashim Sherif of Oak Park prepare
Congregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park. On that
Christmas Eve lunch.
Sunday, 35 clients of the South Oakland Shelter
(S.O.S.) in Royal Oak, including 10 children, arrived at the
synagogue, which would be their home through Christmas and
Friedenberg and an anonymous "Santa" who arrived Christmas Eve
the following weekend.
after seeing news media coverage of this mitzvah.
Beth Shalom had agreed to house these guests at the request
How does a Jewish congregation reconcile such a juxtaposi-
of S.O.S. when none of the Metro Detroit churches that also host tion of events?
S.O.S. clients were able to do it this week.
"Bringing Christmas into the synagogue was a very sensitive
"Frankly, we were surprised
issue for us," said Beth Shalom Executive Director Steven Weiss.
that no other congregation
"Our spiritual home would be the S.O.S. clients' physical home
would accept this opportunity:'
for one of their most important holidays. Yet it was important
said Beth Shalom Social Action
for us as a Jewish institution to be true to and respectful of
Chair Mandy Friedenberg of
Jewish law and tradition, while at the same time extend a help-
ing hand to those in need.
Huntington Woods, who also
serves on the S.O.S. board. "I took
"Our outreach to the S.O.S clients is a wonderful example of
this request to our synagogue
the Jewish community's historical posture, traceable back to
board, and there was unanimous
our patriarch Abraham, of welcoming the strangerf
agreement that we should do
And the Beth Shalom community, along with the wider com-
this. We felt it was the right thing munity, responded generously. Dozens of Beth Shalom mem-
to do:'
bers cooked and served meals, drove, cleaned up, packaged and
So, while the congregation
wrapped gifts, and socialized with the guests.
gave their guests Christmas —
The Book Beat in Oak Park donated children's books. Barbara
A young guest enjoys a
complete with a tree, Santa Claus and Joel Garrett donated arts and crafts materials for the chil-
visit with Santa.
(Don Shepherd, an S.O.S. volun-
dren. Salon Miracle in Berkley donated haircuts. Starbucks in
Oak Park donated 100 cups of coffee for Christmas morning.
teer), gifts for all and a prayer
service led by a local Beaumont Hospital chaplain, Father Chris
And plumber Noah Klein responded to an emergency call on
Welsh — Beth Shalom also hosted a bris for one of its member
Christmas Eve.
families and a funeral service for another Beth Shalom family.
Mitzvah Day volunteers joined Beth Shalom volunteers on
Christmas to prepare a turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
On Christmas morning, while synagogue members gathered for
"I think we all got back much more than we gave Mandy
morning minyan to daven with the grieving family in the sanctu-
Friedenberg said. "So much so that we're considering doing it
ary, across the hall S.O.S. guests opened presents donated by the
Beth Shalom Men's Club, Rami Garrett, Rachel, Richard and Beverly again next year."
Jewish Fund Aids Youth
The Ruth Ellis Center in Highland
Park has received a challenge grant
from the Jewish Fund, a legacy of the
sale of Sinai Hospital of Detroit to the
Detroit Medical Center.
"In these tough times, we greatly
appreciate the generosity of the
Jewish Fund:' said Bill Greene, the
center's board chair. "We also wel-
come the challenge grant as an
opportunity to encourage new donors
to support vital programming.
"The youth we serve are often
disowned or abandoned by their
families. The fact that other com-
munity members, whom they may
never know, provide the funds for the
center, gives young people hope and
encouragement."
The Ruth Ellis Center provides
long-term and short-term residential
safe space and support services for
runaway, homeless and at-risk gay,
lesbian, bi-attractional, transgender
and questioning youth.
"The Jewish Fund is very pleased
to support Ruth Ellis Center in its
unique provision of compassion-
ate and sensitive support groups for
a vulnerable population of LGBTQ
young people in Metropolitan Detroit,
and hopes other funders and individ-
uals will recognize the need for such
support, as well: said Margo Pernick,
executive director.
The grant will fund the drop-in
center's gender identity support
groups that meet weekly. Each group
helps young people address issues
faced in everyday life and help them
to discover paths to independence,
self-care and wellness.
To make a donation, contact Jack
VanHecke at (313) 252-1950.
Young Families Imagine
Temple Israel's Imagine young
adult group (21-40) will host
"Pajamas, Pancakes & Prayer" at
5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at Temple
Israel, 5725 Walnut Lake Road, West
Bloomfield.
Young families are invited to par-
ticipate in a pancake dinner in their
pajamas, Havdalah and learning
about special Jewish bedtime rituals.
Cost per family is $36.
For information or reservations,
contact Michelle Lichtman, (248)
661-5700 or michelle@temple-israel.
org.
Provide the names and ages of the
children who will attend.
December 31 • 2009
39