Above: Walk for Israel participants make their way south on Orchard Lake Road.

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ielsigan
Stands
with Israel

Far left: Eugene Greenstein

of Farmington Hills hands
out signs before the walk.

Middle left: Mitch Kline of
Clarkston checks out the

Theodor Herzl exhibit in
the Shir Shalom lobby.

WALK FOB
ISAR
-SHIRT ...*

Herzl founded modern
political Zionism.

Left: Laurie Moscowitz of
West Bloomfield and Lori

41

Molly Williams

Teen2Teen Staff Writer

S

pirits and the humidity were
high as Metro Detroiters gath-
ered for the annual Walk for
Israel on May 2.
Starting at Temple Shir Shalom in
West Bloomfield, supporters gathered to
demonstrate their love for Israel and their
hopes for peace.
"I'm walking for Israel because it's
where we're from and where our ancestors
are from and where we, one day, hope to
go:' said Danielle Keith, a student at Hillel
Day School in Farmington Hills.

24

May 6 2010

V.Vih.l .

C1

The crowd came together first for a
kosher lunch of Jerusalem Pizza fare and
to listen to pro-Israel messages, includ-
ing one from U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, D-
Bloomfield Township. Also attending were
Oakland County Sheriff Mark Bouchard
and Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox.
Brig. Gen. Ronen Dan, Israeli Air Force
attache in Washington, D.C., spoke earlier
in the morning.
A moment of silence was held in prayer
for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
"It's a great feeling seeing the commu-
nity here in Michigan support Israelis and
Israel;' said Oren Aks of Farmington Hills.
He and his wife, Chen Alkalay, are former-

.

Sachs of West Bloomfield

frt. .P •

ly of Ramat Gan, Israel. "Coming together
as a force shows that the Jewish people are
united," he said.
After lunch, everyone held their Israeli
and American flags high as the long line
of close to 1,000 participants walked south
down Orchard Lake Road about half a
mile and back again.
"The Walk for Israel was a meaningful
experience and it was really nice to see my
community unified for Israel: said Talia
Schechet, a student at Akiva Hebrew Day
School in Southfield.
"Doing the walk shows that Israel's not
alone and that we are behind them — and
it's a historical moment in Judaism:'

said Elan Pszenica, a student at West
Bloomfield Abbott Middle School.
Corey Rosen, a senior at Frankel Jewish
Academy in West Bloomfield, used his
megaphone to encourage cars driving on
Orchard Lake Road to honk in support of
Israel.
"I hope everyone will learn to accept
people's religions and cultures — and I
hope for peace said FJA student Freya
Gothelf.

❑

Molly Williams is a freshman at Frankel
Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. Story

Development Editor Keri Guten Cohen added to
this report.