Family Focus

What's In A Name?

Honorees

Hillel Day School n ames its
Dream Makers and Segal winner.

H

illel Day School of
Metropolitan Detroit in
Farmington Hills will honor
Henrietta and Alvin Weisberg as its 2010
Dream Makers. Hillel past president Ellie
Glen is the 2010 recipient of the Rabbi
Jacob Segal Award.
The Weisbergs have been leaders and
major benefactors of our Jewish com-
munity for more than 50 years. Their
interest in Jewish education has been
the cornerstone of their philanthropic
commitment, having been ardent sup-
porters of Hillel Day School, the Frankel
Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield
and the Jewish Theological Seminary in
New York. In 2005, the Weisbergs were
honored by JTS with the Shin Award,
presented to individuals who embody
a commitment to Jewish education and
synagogue life.
They have extended their patronage to
many other worthwhile Jewish organiza-
tions locally: the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit, Fresh Air Society
and the Jewish Community Center.
Alvin has served on the local boards
of JVS and Jewish Family Service. The
Weisbergs created a fund through Jewish
Federation Apartments to provide senior
citizens with transportation to cultural
events in the community.
Dedicated members of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek, Henrietta and Alvin
have enhanced synagogue program-
ming by sponsoring numerous concerts
and other
events for the
entire Jewish
community.
They contrib-
uted to the
synagogue by
funding an
endowment
Henrietta and Alvin
for the pur-
chase and con-
Weisberg
tinuing upkeep
of the congregational prayer books.
Alvin was a partner with his parents
and brothers in creating Chatham
Super Markets, which the family sold
in the 1980s. Today, he is chairman of
Total Pet Supplies, the largest franchi-
see of Pet Supplies "Plus" with stores in
five states. He is a partner and member
of the board of directors of Pet Supplies
"Plus", USA, with franchises in more
than 20 states.

The Weisbergs are the parents of
Lori and Steven Weisberg and Julie and
Steven Schlafer. They have five grand-
children, all of whom are Hillel gradu-
ates.
Ellie Glen, the
Rabbi Jacob Segal
Award winner, reflects
Rabbi Segal's vision
for a vibrant Jewish
day school in Metro
Detroit. With her
advanced degrees
Ellie Glen
from the University of
Michigan in social work, education and
guidance counseling serving as a back-
drop, she served on both the PTO board
and the school's board of directors. She
worked to develop the school's ritual
and religious activities and established
the school's daily minyan. She retired
the mortgage on the building during
her tenure as Hillel president.
Glen established the first volunteer
department at the local Holocaust
Memorial Center 25 years ago and
continues to volunteer for Yad Ezra,
Meals on Wheels, the Friendship Circle
and Federation. She has served on the
boards of Congregation Shaarey Zedek
and Hadassah and currently serves on
the board of Yad Ezra. She has worked
at Jewish Family Service. Through the
National Council of Jewish Women, she
has lent support for the past 11 years as
a child advocate for the court-appoint-
ed guardianship services.
She and Sidney have four children
and eight grandchildren. Their two
sons graduated from Hillel and their
six school-aged grandchildren attend
or have graduated from a day school
(three at Chicago's Solomon Schechter
Day School and three at Hillel).
The Leadership Circle Reception, a
wine tasting with James Beard Award-
winning wine writer Alice Feiring,
will be held on Thursday, March 4, at
Hillel Day School with a minimum gift
of $1,800. Hillel Day School's annual
dinner will be held Tuesday, May 11, at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Proceeds
from this campaign provide tuition
assistance, technology purchases, pro-
fessional development and educational
resources for the school.
For information, contact Hillel Day
School's Development Office, (248)
851-6950. ❑

Gan Shalom preschool students
explain their Hebrew names.

Asher Zacks, 4, with his mother, Renee, of Huntington Woods. Renee and Eric
Zacks created a photo montage to show who Asher was named for in the family.

A

Havdalah and Hebrew name
dedication program was
held Jan. 23 for 4-year-olds
in the Gan Shalom bilingual pre-
school at Congregation Beth Shalom
in Oak Park.
"A child's name stays with him
forever and it was chosen for a spe-
cial reason:' said Susan Gartenberg,
Gan Shalom director. "Jews believe
that the living will carry on the
traits of the deceased. We connect
the name to our personal and col-
lective history, and parents have an
opportunity to tell about the name
at a special weekend Havdalah ser-
vice in the synagogue. Family and
friends were invited to attend this
touching program?'
Leslie Fishman of Bloomfield Hills
and Trish Canner of West Bloomfield
helped the students learn about their
Hebrew names.
Each child spoke his/her Hebrew
name and each family created a proj-
ect displaying photos of the person
for whom the child was named.
"We were all so touched by the
program:' said Tammy Samson
of Huntington Woods, mother of
Abigail, 4, and Josephine, 3.
"We learned that names were cho-
sen because families wanted their

children to possess attributes from
the ancestor, such as courage and a
sense of family:' Gartenberg said.
Gan Shalom, from the Hebrew
words garden and peace, started
in 2006 with six children; now the
school has 40 students and a grow-
ing parent tot class. The school
has become a model for other pre-
schools, locally and on a national
level, with its bilingual approach to
early education.
Gartenberg created the curriculum
with Ronit Gill, the school's Hebrew
specialist. Gill speaks only Hebrew
to the children while other teach-
ers facilitate in English. Families are
connected to the program through
Hebrew workshops, e-mails, CDs, vid-
eos and games.
"Our program is not a 20-minutes
instant Hebrew:' said Gill of Royal
Oak. "We work like a bilingual house-
hold."
Early and after-school care are avail-
able for working families. Registration
for the 2010-2011 academic year and
for summer camp 2010 now is open.
To schedule a visit or for more infor-
mation, go to sgartenberg@congbeth-
shalom.org ; (248) 547-7970;
www.congbethshalom.org .

❑

February 25 • 2010

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