Hunger from page 39 Congress has already done a great deal to help defeat poverty and child- hood hunger. Over the past few years, it has enacted legislation to increase funding for food stamps, provided temporary additional funding for school breakfast and lunch programs, and increased access for those who most need to be provided with a well- balanced meal. Locally, Yad Ezra has facilitated grants from family foundations to help fund lunches for day school students whose families can't afford the cost of a daily hot lunch. More that 500 stu- dents are being fed every day through this partnership between Yad Ezra, family foundations and the following schools: Yeshiva Beth Yehuda, Akiva Hebrew Day School, Lubavitch Cheder, Yeshiva Gedola and Hillel Day School. But in times such as these, it is not enough. More funding and more atten- tion are needed if we are to reach the president's admirable goal and actu- ally end child hunger rather than allow our children to continue to suffer. Currently, Congress is revisiting leg- islation, the Child Nutrition Bill, which will put our nation farther along the road to meeting President Obama's goal. The president has asked for $1 billion in new child nutrition funding each year for the next 10 years. We need Congress to fund the Child Nutrition Bill at least at this level and include provisions that guarantee access to more children to be provided with well-rounded, nutritious meals. This bill is the most important anti- hunger legislation that Congress will consider this session. In its simplest form, the bill authorizes funding for school breakfast and lunch programs as well as summer and after-school feeding programs for low-income students. These programs are vital and show real results. Although few deny the importance of childhood nutrition programs, our congressional leaders will be chal- lenged as the economy continues to weaken with making many tough spending decisions. We must make ensure that children do not suffer more during these tough economic times. Do you know these four children: The child who receives a free school lunch? The child who receives a free school breakfast? The child who participates in a summer feeding pro- gram? The child who with her mother participates in WIC, the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children? If not, come and hear their stories and learn how the stability of these programs affect our community's children. Can you answer these four ques- tions: What does it mean to be hungry in America and what is the main cause of hunger? How does the United States currently address the issues of hunger? What will it take to end childhood hunger in America? What can I do to end childhood hunger in America? If not, join us and hear the answers. Bring your children and your friends, and meet others who care about the same questions. E Robert Cohen is executive director of the Bloomfield Township-based Jewish Community Relations Council ROBOTICS BIOTECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE COMMUNICATIONS ECOLOGY PHARNIArrEUTICALS Start-Up an evening with Nation: The story of Israel's ill THIS WEDNESDn Economic Miracle MARCH 17, 2010 7:30 "" RSVP TODAY Hillel Day School 32200 Middlebelt Rd. Farmington Hills, Ml Please RSVP no later than March 15 at jewishdetroit.org/dansenor. For more information, contact Julie Zuckerman Tepperman at 248.203.1497 or email zuckerman@jfmd.org of Metropolitan Detroit. Lea Luger is executive director of Yad Ezra, the Berkley-based kosher food pantry. This event is open to all individuals who have made a minimum gift of $250 to Federation's 2010 Campaign Event Co-Chairs to happen:' First there was 9-11, "when we discovered that for years, Al Qaida and its allies had been waging holy war against us," and our leaders — who knew — did not tell us. The second was "the 2008 finan- cial crash, which revealed that our economy is a house of cards built on a pile of debt so high we cannot possibly repay it." Changing America's Jewish leader- ship is more difficult: Jewish political leaders are not democratically elected — or replaced. As with royalty, we may get lucky from time to time with an outstanding leader. But our "lead- Author of Please join us for ers" are mostly selected and controlled by well-intentioned philanthropists. Many of these donors are politically liberal, and even those who are not are inherently conflict-averse and com- fortable with the status quo. Meanwhile, as we wait and pray for more effective leadership, we need to introduce the concept of "account- ability" for our sclerotic Jewish leaders — perhaps by lighting grassroots fires under them. What about a town hall meeting? I-1 Charles Jacobs is president of Americans for Peace and Tolerance. Pamela Applebaum & Gaal Karp Rachel & Joshua F. Opperer Event Committee Laura & Mark Adler Cheryl & Steve Schanes Rachel Wright & Ryan Liabenow Host Committee Debbie & Michael Berger Ruth & Rabbi Aaron Bergman Elena & Max Berlin Leah Bold Ruth & Michael Brooks Devorah & Rabbi Michael Cohen Evan Colton Robin & Leo Eisenberg Wendy & Jeff Eisenshtadt Joan & Steve Freedman Karynne Naftolin Grossman & Rabbi Eric Grossman Barbara & Michael Horowitz Cindy A. Hughey Shoshana & Sidney Katz Mary & Norman Keane IF Jonathon Koenigsberg Susan & Rabbi Joseph Krakoff Lisa & Daniel Kurzmann Deborah & Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld Brian Meer Leslie & Rabbi Michael Moskowitz Amy & Max Newman Natalie & William Newman Barbara Nurenberg Robert P. Roth Karen & Todd Sachse Amy & Jeffrey Schlussel Robert P. Schwartz Michelle & William Sider START-UP NATIOI The Seery et Isseers Ems* Mode BAN SENOR In SARI SINGER Casa fin. Start-Up Nation is about innovation and entrepreneurship, and how one small country, Israel, came to embody both. Michele & Arthur Siegal Ronald A. Sollish Miriam Star k man Estie & Rabbi Simcha Tolwin Lisa & Marc Weinbaum Gwen & Evan Weiner Wendy & Rabbi Paul Yedwab Rachel & Jason Zimmerman 2010 Campaign Chairs Ronald A. Klein Terri Farber Roth Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit 1576090 March 11 • 2010 41